For some, it’s walking down the streets of town admiring all the decorations lit up in full glory; for others, it’s an annual dinner gathering with extended family in a living room decorated with a towering tree dripping with trinkets from one’s childhood. No matter what it is, each of us have a memory of something that makes Christmas special for us. For Cliff, having grown up in Canada, Christmas is odd without snow. Even in Singapore last year, he tried to invite snow into our home!
This year, since we are going to India to visit a mission hospital for almost two weeks, and will be back only just in time for Christmas Eve, I decided we had to usher the festive mood into our home a little earlier. But without a Tree, or turkey, or expensive Christmas shopping (or snow!), how could we make this season a little more special, thoughtful and heartwarming than usual?
For those of you like us who don’t have a thick wallet to spend on commercialized gifts packs, it definitely still is possible to bring a touch of Special into your home.
Here’re Ten Tips!
- Surprise your family with a thoughtful trinket or decoration on your front door.
Try and plan it on a day where you’ll be home earlier than everyone else.
A Christmas wreath might cost a bit more this season, but a little trinket can cost just a few dollars.
Mr. Frosty was a steal at $3!
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2. Secretly slip a little Christmas gift card into a breakfast box packed for your loved one.
In the theme of Christmas, I decided to buy a Fruit & Nut loaf, and made a banana-and-peanut-butter-fruit-and-nut-bread sandwich with cinnamon sprinkled all over, for Cliff to bring to work.
Seriously yummy.
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3. On a weekend, try a quick and easy Christmasy dessert like Apple Cinammon Crumble
for the whole family to enjoy.
The down-to-earth ingredients are convenient and most affordable.
For a quick added festive touch,
try drizzling your desserts with these beautiful and healthy pomegranate seeds instead of syrup!
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4. Or, if you’re feeling a little more savoury and have more time,
try a new recipe like a hearty Shepherd’s Pie, one of Cliff’s favourite meals.
Watch out for this recipe soon!
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5. But of course, if you really don’t have time,
it only takes a little imagination and creativity
to turn everyday food into a something a little more special.
A cinnamon bun and grapes, topped off with ice-cream, with blueberry eyes and a cashew smile!
That’s Mr. Snowy for you!
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6. Personalize Christmas for those you love by designing and printing your own Christmas cards.
It touched me deeply to hear Cliff thank me for doing this with him- it was his great idea after all.
It was him who reminded me, that nothing (yes not even e-cards or emails) beats hand-writing your own personal letters of love, thanksgiving or a plain ol’ hello to friends and family you love.
These postcards we designed only took a few days to print.
(There are print-shops galore down at Bras Basah Complex.)
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7. When meeting friends or family for a meal this season,
choose one of these amazing food places to support a worthy cause!
Just a few nights ago, on Giving Tuesday, Cliff and I had the privilege of attending an Our Better World event at Dignity Kitchen, a food court centre that trains and employs people with disabilities or who are disadvantaged.
Instead of going to Nex Mall for a meal if you’re near Serangoon train station, take a five minute walk to Block 267 next to the Community Centre to visit Dignity Kitchen.
Choose Food for Good to support meaningful social enterprises over your festive feasting this year.
When you share a meal there with a friend, you are spreading the word about the good cause too.
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8. Approach a needy person on the street and ask if you can buy him a warm meal.
Better still, invite him home for a meal!
Zhou yeye and Cliff , over fried brown rice.
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9. Visit a needy person’s home and make his wish come true this Christmas!
If you don’t know anyone like this, commit to opening your eyes to the many needy people around you, or volunteer for a food distribution, home visit or soup kitchen project.
Go with a friend, even if it’s just to try once-
what better way to create memories by doing something meaningful with your loved ones?
Visiting Dennis after work
Thank you once again to those of you who contributed to Dennis’ washing machine and bed-frame!
The delivery is scheduled for this Friday evening.
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10. And for the “hard-core” ones, sign up for a mission trip.
Nothing brings to life the meaning of Christmas more than seeing how the needy exult in contentment with the little they have, and realizing how much you can bless others.
Many humanitarian trips are often organized at the end of the year.
If it’s too late to go this year, it’s not too late to consider going for one next year.
Meanwhile, give to those who can go, and contribute to the Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts.
Myself in Mozambique, almost 3 years ago.
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More than surveying gaudy street twinklers or feasting on a surfeit of cookies and logcakes,
Christmas is about remembering and celebrating God’s love for the world.
And out of that remembrance and understanding of His love,
may you be channel of blessing and hope to those around you,
and experience His great love for you too.
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The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
By this the love of God was manifested in us,
that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
In this is love, not that we loved God,
but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.…
– John 4:8-10