Christmas 2012

Someone mentioned to me, “How quickly Advent went by.” Yes. Advent is over and we are now at Christmas. We had arrived at what we were preparing for: celebrating the birth of God made man. Christmas this year was a quiet one for me. I spent time with family. I believe that the drama of Christmas (the shepherds, angels, the manger birth and that there was no room in the inn did occur) I also believe that it was also a quiet occasion. I mean that there was praise and wonder but there was no party atmosphere. I'd like to think that the singing of the heavenly hosts was ethereal rather than boisterous and overwhelming. I did not offer my services to any parish for Midnight Mass this year. I spent a quiet evening observing family interactions and thanking God in my heart. I'd like to think that I was like the shepherds whom we read in the Gospel of St. Luke: pondering the mystery of the Christ–child in my heart.

Christmas Post

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I know I am cheating. I am writing this is in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. I have requested that this post be posted about an hour and a half after midnight. That should coincide with the end of the Midnight Christmas Vigil.


Do you have Christmas decoration? Is it like this? On the door? Actually, this doesn’t seem to be suitable for Singapore because we don’t have winter here. A wreath made up of the leaves of a pine tree? Perhaps we could look for a Singapore substitute but then it won’t have a Christmassy look. I wonder how the Australians and South American countries decorate for Christmas because it is summer there ...

I found several images on Google. Here is a funny picture I found. Pictures of Christmas decorations were similar to the Northern Hemisphere. The only decoration that would be specifically Australian is a kangaroo wearing a red cap, like the one Santa Claus uses. Here is one example and another at the bottom of the page. South America uses decorations for Christmas that also include symbols more suitable for winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

As the decorations for the Church is not ready and the Christmas Nativity Scene is yet to be complete, I cannot provide pictures that are more suitable for a Catholic Christmas.

So I leave you with the picture of the Christmas tree in the parish house.

Have a Holy Christmas!