Christmas Month - Day 8

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We forget sometimes about the love that goes in the giving.  We look at the gift without seeing the heart of the giver.

St Teresa was right!  It isn't how much we give.  It's the love that is inside the giving.  

Day 20 Christmas Blessings

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As we reach the last few days before Christmas, Let's count our blessings and look around to see who we can bless during this beautiful season.

We haven't decided yet what we will do but we always make it a tradition to shower someone with a surprise blessing.  There's still time and we will finalise this before the year is over.

Come on, Stephen, put your thinking cap on! 

Day 18 Christmas DIY

Image by GGYC

And I would never have imagined that my daughter-in-law would be so creative and talented.  These are the cards leftover from her beautiful wedding celebrations.  How she has transformed them into something so meaningful and useful is just magical.  

I was blown away by the beauty and simplicity of this project, not forgetting the perfect calligraphy, which makes it all the more meaningful.  

What more can I say?  

Did I mention, she's cooking Christmas dinner too?  

We are blessed to have her in our family.  

Great job, G!  We're very proud of you! 

Day 15 Christmas Time

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It's really been a good two weeks of December for me.  I haven't felt rushed or stressed about getting organised for Christmas.  

Plus I can check off every thing on this list, despite binging on Christmas movies and my TV series, I should add.  

When I was working, I used to feel a bit of tension the moment we hit the first of December.  I wondered when I would start to "Christmastise" the home.  I wondered how I would do it all.  More often than not, I would work a full day and then after dinner I'd start on the decorations.  It wasn't easy but I did do my best and always felt satisfied with everything.

These last years, it's been easier.  I've either become better at it or I've become more easy-going.  It's not about overdoing but just about doing.  And I'm done!  

Yay!  Celebrate!  

Okay, maybe not yet.  I'm still tweaking some things every now and then!  

Day 14 Christmas Cheesecake

So Stephen joined me to make this no-bake cheesecake.  It was a trial run but it turned out super tasty.  The texture could be improved but the taste is just glorious.  

We tweaked two recipes and came up with this.  So the next round will be even better, I'm sure.

Already it's almost all gone after only two days!  We did give two pieces to our neighbours just to get their reaction.  Hahahaha

It's not a huge cake although it looks huge in the picture.   We'll be making another for our Christmas dessert and for the children to enjoy with us. 

Day 11 Christmas Wine

There was a year when I was so busy or lazy or whatever you want to call it that I decided wine was the way to go.  It was a simple and quick decision especially when time and ideas were running out. 

I hardly buy too many gifts nowadays.  But maybe this year, I'll be different and surprise some family and friends!  

What's that joke about white and red again?  

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Christmas cookies

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I think the last time I made cookies I was a little girl.  Actually it was more of watching my mom making them and me just hanging around to watch.  If my memory serves me, we made pineapple jam tarts, peanut biscuits, cherry biscuits which we very quickly finished because there were four children at home then.

Anyway, I did make a handful of cookies tonight.  It didn't turn out as well as I expected but it also didn't turn out as bad as I anticipated.  The taste is super delicious but I need to tweek it a bit to get it perfectly baked.  I'm going to have another go at it and experiment with a different recipe this time. 

After all, it keeps me occupied and we have the holiday season to finish everything!!!  With a cup of hot coffee and good conversation, we'll enjoy the Christmas love and Christmas cookies.

Christmas To-Do List

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No. 1 Buy presents.  Be present.  

While I started shopping earlier than usual, I am still in shopping mode because whenever I see something that I think someone will like, I love buying it as a surprise.  I'm going to check this off my list because both are WIP and so it's almost done.

No. 2.  Wrap gifts.  Wrap someone in a hug

Am starting tonight eventhough I have some readymade Christmas gift bags to use.  Wrap someone in a hug?  Well, that's just too easy. 

No. 3  Send gifts.  Send peace. 

Hopefully by the time this post is out, I've already sent out the stuff that needs to go by post.  Send peace?  Okay, I do this during my daily prayers. 

No. 4  Shop for food. Donate food.

Haven't really shopped for food yet but will get to it soon enough. Donate food? Will be doing that this week as our local supermarkets have set up booths for us to help the needy.  

No. 5  Make Cookies.  Make love.

Yup, I'm planning to make some cookies and maybe bake a cake or two.  Let's see if I can reproduce what I'd done earlier.  Make love? The most sensible thing in this season of love.  :)

No. 6.  See the lights.  Be the light.

We've already gone to the famous Orchard Road to see the lights. Be the light must mean to give someone a ray of hope when they need it and I do this whenever and wherever I am able.  

Okay, I'm on my way to doing all this and more . . .

Countdown: 6 days to Christmas

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It really is a time to be together.  Nothing in the world is more important than for me to be with Stephen at this time.  Since we've met, we've never been apart at Christmas.  

In life, we don't need too many people.  The only ones we really need are the ones who love us and, for me, the ones who matter are Stephen, Jared and Gwen. The rest are just icing on the cake and I can do with or without them. 

Countdown: 15 days to Christmas

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No need to wish as we can make it happen by just doing at least one good deed a month.  Take on the challenge, will you?