Travel Tips

The tradition is, to put up the decors as early as the third of November each year to commemorate the happiest days of my life, the birth of my son and the wonderful season that is about to come…Christmas. First, we would eat my son’s birthday cake for breakfast, followed by the joyful activity of taking boxes upon boxes of decors from the attic and laying them down on the living room floor.

This year, a curse of ill-health has fallen upon me. Stiff joints and bones disable me from erecting our old artificial tree. Health complications only magnify my superlative description of pain and my heavy eyelids and impaired energy prevent me from being the person that I really am---joyful. Much to my protest I had no choice but endorse my ceremonial rights of tree erection to my son, who was just more than willing to do the job.

Our Christmas past have always been merry. We would usually buy our groceries on the morn of Christmas Eve, go skating at the city centre at late noon and have a couple of glühwein at the Christmas market before heading home.

A tray of canapés awaits for baking while Steven would start rolling his camera and I’d start cooking the Christmas dinner for uninvited guests who always find their way to invite themselves in for a cosy Christmas dinner. Wines, champagnes and oysters centerpieced the well-decorated dining table. Friends would surround us and spend the whole night merry making.

Although spending Christmas year after year with friends and acquaintances about, had always been a merry one, we lately started to feel the emptiness of having our immediate family around. Going back to the time when Mom and Dad were still alive and my sisters and I still live in the old house, the spirit of Christmas was then different---exciting, easy and lots of fun…Oh yes, those Christmases of wonderful family gatherings of giggling sisters and screaming nephews…the family Christmas cook-outs and outings…the exchanging of gifts and surprises…the hugs and the kisses and sincere pleasantries. I have been wishing endlessly for a chance to celebrate Christmas once more with my immediate family Though narrowed down by the passing away of Mom and Dad, my Son Steven, nephew Matt and two grandnieces will surely fill up the seats at the Christmas table. There will be singing and dancing and perhaps even reciting of Christmas poems There will be endless laughter, tears of joy and drinking of margaritas!

This Christmas, I only have one wish…and that is, to be with my son, my sisters and their families to celebrate this day of Thanksgiving in the spirit of Love and the truest meaning of Joy.