Yes .. Nov is ending and the last month of the year is starting .... and yes ... its the time of the year that I blast my Christmas songs ..... both in my car as well as in my room .... this year, I have to admit that I am slow ... I used to start my Christmas songs -- officially 1 Nov .... where did I learn all this ... I remember how Fred used to listen to Christmas songs ... as early as Oct!!! Guess, its something that I caught living with them! .. :0..
So,what was Christmas like ... those days?
Christmas has always been FUN time back in Sitiawan .... I recall carolers coming to our house in Sitiawan Estate past midnite or wee hours of the morning ... cos our house is so tercampak 1 corner .. they always make it their last stop .... and in those days ... we will have Mom's church coming ... earlier days .. we will have even the New Road Chinese church (Mom attended their church plant in Spg Dua) and Paul Ling's church. So, carolers will greet us in our pajamas and sleepy eyes .... we dont lock our main door but just shut it ..leave the porch & living hall lights on. I remember one year ... I did not wake up till the carolers started singing .... so, our house was invaded by them because they will open the door of our house and gather in the hall to sing. The will dress in white .. and some groups will wear a hear gear (hollow made of shining silver ... eeerr that thing la ... made into a hollow) ... so, they are angels bringing the Good News to our homes.
There was one year I spent Christmas in sister's house .. I must have been 8 or 9 years old then ... Christmas is gala time for their house ... with Christmas tree and lots of food prepared to serve the carolers. There were many carolers from different church that came ... I can recall clearly Pioneer Church ... wah .. their group ... no joke ... the Santa Claus is really dressed up and carries a bag with goodies to give away to kids in the home ...
As I grew older, I was introduced to caroling ... as early as 12 or 13 ... i was still in MIF ... Mrs Tay will bring us around in her car ... and in Mrs Koh's car ... that was the time I started to learn and memorize all the carols ....
In MYF days ... caroling is FUn FUN FUN !!!!! Once school hols start, we will start our caroling practice ... everyday ... Mon - Fri ... we will learn and memorize the songs and learn new songs ... we will also learn up our liners that we need to recite ... you see ... caroling in Sitiawan Wesley MYF is just not singing songs ... but we always have a narration to go along with it .... like a story ... songs ... Scripture reciting and the prayer .. we will gather in House of Grace as early as 5pm ... and we will start our caroling as early as 6 or 630pm ... nearby houses (Kpg Koh area) we will cycle or go on motorbikes ... but places that is far ... we will then take the bus .. we will go as far as Ayer Tawar & Lumut for caroling ..... oooo ... those days was really FUN! The fellowship among the MYFers during those days - GREAT! And m I right to say that sometimes relationships blossom during those days ...
By the time caroling reached Nee's era ... the tradition is still as strong as ever .. she joined the Chinese church caroling ... and this is where she will come back with LOADS of goodies from the houses she visited ... from Lux or May soap (dozens of it) .. towels .... to toothpaste ... and there was even one year ... Kpg Koh Cili Sos ... hahaha ...
As time move on .... I moved out from caroling .... somehow it just died ... but it came back when I came to JB ... 2 things I enjoyed ... Christmas in Spore ... for 2-3 years, I manage to catch the Acapella carolers in the shopping mall ... one year was in City Hall when I was shopping with LN & Cynthia ... they are great! Later in CCC I remember carolers went to City Square, Pelangi Mall and once the last year, I joined the Young Adult's carolers in Danga Bay ... and I found out .. the carols that I memorized during MYF days ... I can still remember the lyrics ..
This year ... there is no caroling for me .... just a youth camp is waiting for me just before Christmas ... from now till 25th Dec .... Christmas songs will be blasting from my pc & car ... and i simply LOVE Cliff Richard's Christmas songs ...
3 comments:
Yah! Those were the days during our MYF days! The Fun! Fun! Fun! The practices! The opportunity to hang out together with friends because of that! Filled up our end of the year hols with lots of meaningful activities and also strengthened the bond of friendships and also with God... am always grateful to those who worked and sacrificed tirelessly for us.
.... yup.. those were the days .... and it was those days that laid strong foundation in our lives ...:0
hohohoho! that's brought back some nice memories of Christmas in the prehistoric era when I was inthe MYF! :D
thankyoo
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