Christmas time is here

The Ghost of Christmas Past always comes to visit at around this time of the year.

My family used to spend the whole of December in my hometown Taiping, along with my aunties and cousins who were around my age.

I remember...
...how much we used to look forward to midnight mass. We could spend an entire evening preparing for it and everyone would be decked out in their Sunday best.

...the annual trips to the supermarket to select our gifts. Each of us were entitled to about 5 choices every year, so some planning had to be done in advance.

...taking turns with my cousins to do up the christmas tree. We were always vying for the nice decorations and avoiding the balls.

...the nativity scene my uncle used to set up in one corner of the house every year.

...our unsuccessful attempts to peep at the adults while they hid away our presents the night before Christmas

...rising early every Christmas morning to go present-searching with my cousins.

...the sing-along sessions in the afternoon after a hearty lunch prepared by my grandmother. Everyone in the house - including the guests - would join in, belting out hymn after hymn. And my uncle and his friends would take up their guitars and make music.

There was a real sense of Christmas in the air!

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Christmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all
The children call
Favorite time of year
Snowflakes in the air
Carols everywhere
Olden times
And ancient rhymes
Love and dreams to share
Sleigh bells in the air
Beauty everywhere
Yuletide by the fireside
And joyful memories there
Christmas time is here
Families drawing near
Oh that we could always see
Such spirit through the year
Sleigh bells in the air
Beauty everywhere
Yuletide by the fireside
And joyful memories there
Christmas time is here
Families drawing near
Oh that we could always see
A favorite time of year