http://myepaper.mypaper.sg/ebook/web_php/fvbrowserjs.php?urljs=http://myepaper.mypaper.sg/ecreator/sphopf/myp241209emnd_opf_files/myp241209emnd.js&ver=Gen
by BY JILL ALPHONSO, myp@sph.com.sg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDg-LRirW88K-8wPy5KUHu9tyfq4ox0kpfoLZS8oreKZJ3pllk9o83JscVeIutK9wVWT9SF8GQrfPebhFuE3hgrJ4LRb-08_w7nbdkLqW0ahok3m7y7RhRaI0nrSZrGPQjSHkPz45YAs/s400/23.jpg)
PHOTO: http://www.adobetutorialz.com/content_images/AdobePhotoshop/ART-D/tutorial423/23.jpg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLgmw-djZBrY0eDOL2RA79EqCenH8cCSrvJBaHW1S1GX4MC84t2P9V7VinoYe71EwOfYlroO0RKybN9Axqqvct3t4DAZ0gzXaggqdC-lO3I4Z5oKvfrf1mJGDnIYo091zPrTEenCKrviM/s400/20080923.114304_jill.jpg)
PHOTO: JILL ALPHONSO
http://www.asiaone.com/A1MEDIA/justwomen/09Sep08/20080923.114304_jill.jpg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6WOk7CDLmC6yM_DNeTvLBDN5QbWoKQcgA6Ha6NTx0366srzDuEIzGIQiva8vDaUOb6U-yut0rtGeILBq6KvuyXGJ1l3eS5ZPbtNekdCANsicVH0yx7qV70WgIs3GG6KcGHqQJ2xM_1E/s400/800px-merry_christmas_1.png)
PHOTO: http://typicalmacuser.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/800px-merry_christmas_1.png
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjb75qqxkXFEqoz-vi9GvRLDIr8ORZr0-jcy3eJ4xcEVXNAXjuSyR7coG7J3lsn0o_n5l9Ry9-ySjZNPaTUkOlvztLwx1c3IbBMRZXt9cTaxkcI7wQQlmvJXmTHoe1HTmj_oyv8EyEms/s400/1444386082_f7606afcb6_b.jpg)
PHOTO: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1134/1444386082_f7606afcb6_b.jpg
Whatever the case, in the first year that I was feeling warmly about the family Christmas Eve tradition, I decided to pitch in. “Let me cook!” I said to my mother.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mpGpzlsUz7l17Qy5ZGHIlnbU-f5XnAbyoVk93ujm0965L0295JFD7lHy5Y_CtCDFh6sFZLHgElNmBYaIXrnV1ycMZGZaO0FdPmEbi0UvICCwzkMQjk0S-P1bQuL0PVMxldW9AmUuF0w/s400/Animated_Christmas_HouseSus.gif)
PHOTO: http://media.photobucket.com/image/christmas%20house/MarilynK44/Animated_Christmas_HouseSus.gif
After all, I’d spent a few Christmases on my own in the United States when I worked there in my early 20s. Then, I’d whip up dinners for other “orphaned” friends who couldn’t afford to fly home, or who simply were avoiding being with their relatives.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzq1VNLkRf3JBnvo8flPm5RW_iskun_sgizMTIDJWFuLdEhWG5yfICIQnQcazg4k7N05bl3VxO_Gjsx7gF27pPgMl8EOxmOS5I35S1NA3am0ZFchr_0T7hifAj4f4X-a5_cCRJhRSatPw/s400/Alsace2008154.jpg)
PHOTO: http://media.photobucket.com/image/I%2525E2%252580%252599m%20at%20home%20with%20Christmas/calligraphie/Alsace2008154.jpg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktFav97wkRCjNeRulHytn2AKyqxD8p5-ZcQWyLrBp5WFIMArxJaX8fLHeVoeIDeqYNy5QmunwiLu_doS1VcNnc3UNriIs0-fKFZbZwiNZIx6ZyrmgrlGmOWQqM8d4kh4WhOchBJB97c4/s400/christmas_wallpaper_berries.jpg)
PHOTO: http://www.north-pole-christmas.com/uploads/Wallpaper/christmas_wallpaper_berries.jpg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6iuxL6lmbb_UTeMxGqonlmkCLX3LT4wNjuQj448bWDDzy80dcPZRywThbaBwgEGJNLMwPyrmMN00LACim5aFnbI62XjpyBsuocNtGYxRdAtsw5kvzsXzR75i2nB4eE2nGU6jeXeDCN0/s400/christmas_wallpaper_prettyblue.jpg)
PHOTO: http://www.north-pole-christmas.com/uploads/Wallpaper/christmas_wallpaper_prettyblue.jpg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOopl90xdFapI_mseO5y5hudjIwfglJ-ovYBNEnraz5FspsA_m6Vk828g5_RyvOMJB6KumIupuEC8AuaUUjFcwvpC90sSwOcn4ByPWf7wzMpKMCmy3vfw0ZL6iE0WEFszzVu4mfZkltWU/s400/front-drive-snow.png)
PHOTO: http://www.apparenting.com/Images/front-drive-snow.png
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiEy33lFkdoPZZNm203vX_NK54pKF8fwnjY6keVjrrz4reEMMPzqC3BxdMFTm37M3-Qb5wnizttoQwkcnL8Stuyz74gMBo-LQzZrp6xxaM5cVxvJkiWw0Y1eOspHTDUh2jqVDJL_hyzA/s400/christmas-wallpaper-pink-stargazer-dsc09909-ws.jpg)
PHOTO: http://www.kriyayoga.com/wallpapers/widescreen_wallpapers/christmas_wallpapers/christmas-wallpaper-pink-stargazer-dsc09909-ws.jpg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7kLxGrmLzk0Vehb1xR1Sghv74DtadiDzT4slwL1qkYlWwV2To_HXdxq_MgivDxAS9BBddTJ1XEUDlyB5HqRoc2W2Iq__5sNSi9NjwQR-pvywPzwjuhA4EEzQrAOYqDvHCtZO-97l7OU/s400/Lys4.jpg)
PHOTO: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVC1YdubiPHEk4NhLqdwx57hI9Fd2bEEc3hC88ngfgAmX2DZxbcUFpnzjD1K7zzxesS2qIw1J2MnQHTbOqQ4PFMBz3JxSfx0VQt0g1XFBd_99FNtFvt2M6O4SrKlq2AaSjHaB4v2Cxadfm/s1600/Lys4.jpg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Q3dqJmTNeg9vYpAqaeFrJ48S6xUrsrs8u3GLOZAJLAqSCzuhZ6_hBAhqvp-g0kfWtQlsTZNH9VfQKq1hQruMFUaqgD285CERE64rVk6MbQUfO6QgMGAJJaq7Gh9V0Qt651OHypoyCRI/s400/greenish-glow-of-northern-lights.jpg)
PHOTO: http://pinoyerasmusmundus.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/greenish-glow-of-northern-lights.jpg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB89B8RYL6Rj1j8A-oj7x6JIySGyuazHaUx6gS6nvGXzf6klDWC1jbFN3kGANICvon8Hn0Is9eSsKDg06mRM4Oqkz6CNwTDS6oBnhRV9fYOW9vcKhe0VcrqVaC5NIdu9k6PSmR1BM4D_A/s400/70921.jpg)
PHOTO: http://static.minitokyo.net/view/21/18/70921.jpg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcMFi89A0a9zCiowAk3MxF7Xq8s5TQX0WGLbXBXc2NapISkhxr2_ZNEplM9pLCeSO9vielZ7pwfcRbwcb-Cw6OSKDzkpncfQgO2P-SDSlxTdwepef8SCXyApTCAqtDw389oNhhXXlsVo/s400/Michael_Lander_NP_HR_100_70_alfta_halsingland_.jpg)
PHOTO: http://www.visitsweden.com/ImageVault/Images/conversionFormat_13/id_149/ImageVaultHandler.aspx
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9ynjETiLx5xU-M9TIS7cEHkGLlz1wzkL6kjzAM-K_tMVG96EoKc7PGQ5moe9Bilt3y15MOHuBLdkAzRpMBTsISV-iic3oGdJ5UZ7Y3OGLgHu3SZJsinBZUX_HZoRCZ9AZNQjgZBFfUI/s400/christmas-orchids-dsc09812-ws.jpg)
PHOTO: http://www.kriyayoga.com/wallpapers/widescreen_wallpapers/christmas_wallpapers/christmas-orchids-dsc09812-ws.jpg
This year, I asked what we were doing for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner. “I don’t know,” she said, sounding a tad forlorn, adding: “Your father’s singing in the church choir for the evening Mass.”
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3WkaaBpsTzY04VU0YxLCj7dkbKB_A5JEQK8ZOCgqUOu8YHG3wo14NUHgJITMjVwfTYLtLikXZrdebMHTTn2xuAd8-oRA2OHcyDWJsjxcrl26efjtv671ubfne-cthKSFn0IPJOea7R30/s400/sun_snow_oak.jpg)
PHOTO: http://cedarlounge.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/sun_snow_oak.jpg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8wrSvpLXUqIRCH8MEb4I9xazu63afZh5Th_tvDAh-CmzrGqQoEVnA8uzloiSUqScYiBpt3kh5vfEAoJwpquEMzFAL9Wr2f88nHAKSGUREr4CjtmFvQWY2_fjaIx7z2x3uvXXC6hC8II/s400/Christmas_wallpapers__003773_.jpg)
PHOTO: http://www.zastavki.com/pictures/1280x1024/Christmas_wallpapers__003773_.jpg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJBTd9JKCtSrq6yV2q8omGp6ZnA5q5gvrHueO5rz11KwFI2PSE0bM5uYZd5NNpkDdaDOTT8Q87mByUIPaZLyV9_4R3PGgfGckbbnVHMNxtm3WJ9oFG9pD-ixug_g7QLgtdPIQnQxMAws/s400/2001-pokemon.jpg)
PHOTO: http://www16.plala.or.jp/christmas1956/11ch-othe02/2001-pokemon.jpg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICx-p0Lo-Z_NCLQ5Bdep9fMIS2A-7ynuyzRpfy7sHC4miynJ8j_HxbItCKFuUjSm8GzOeePvMUdGtrw4IQqx_xuIeW8ExWD4-bCoRu-J90-Q_LgfjY1JE24sxBkXrkbIq9F3Jcp9_rpU/s400/912Merry+Christmas-1.gif)
PHOTO: http://www.wordcatalystmagazine.com/images/912Merry%20Christmas-1.gif
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgB5pO9ZyTBt9_5ICDCYTu0rdK_Mp7zUQjBtSwIUYcVM7nRBt88prj-lX8Y9MxjyS5rJJBE5jmR9qcgaU4X4Rzmohgz29C3FO3o_WUoj3gLNOeuM3w7Au40IMv2RgJRlqcCeDD7XJvNhc/s400/christmas-house.jpg)
PHOTO: http://www.scrapycrafter.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/christmas-house.jpg
HELPDESK: 我的字典
Wǒ de zì diǎn
Tradition: 传统 - chuán tǒng
Meticulous: 严谨的 - yán jǐn de
Tweaking: 轻微调整 - qīng wēi tiáo zhěng
Exaggerating: 夸张 - kuā zhāng
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gwBbUt2f-eHENuoZxCjgQ9o-yoySGwzOHq4xlTekIreQ7iPOF-l9epf4WQuMcrrmkMwcxNX4mciTxSsOdH8kRwjNgUtq2mPwsW5sr5803K49Y4NrB7mkSYj8fUmHMwDH0K46Bd5iFx8/s400/merryxmas_text1_455.jpg)
PHOTO: http://z.about.com/d/saltaquarium/1/0/F/P/1/merryxmas_text1_455.jpg
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTz5ZV3-waopJ0qugeui7zuAz5FgH0WmaJihXLAoLnQXgZmkemzXRU2ipqATJ5IzM90P-UMhBXZR5o4gtiAwN3RauHymYgQWfYt1URHAa1xIJNraNRZH4XEsb6Tt7uw6S81Cl1JMoIic/s400/merry-christmas-1.gif)
PHOTO: http://media.photobucket.com/image/merry-christmas-1.gif/commentsjunkie/christmas/merry-christmas-1.gif
Reference
- MY PAPERTHURSDAY DECEMBER 24, 2009 A13, LIFESTYLE (Viewpoint)
- http://myepaper.mypaper.sg/ebook/web_php/fvbrowserjs.php?urljs=http://myepaper.mypaper.sg/ecreator/sphopf/myp241209emnd_opf_files/myp241209emnd.js&ver=Gen
- http://www.asiaone.com/A1MEDIA/justwomen/09Sep08/20080923.114304_jill.jpg
- http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1134/1444386082_f7606afcb6_b.jpg
- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVC1YdubiPHEk4NhLqdwx57hI9Fd2bEEc3hC88ngfgAmX2DZxbcUFpnzjD1K7zzxesS2qIw1J2MnQHTbOqQ4PFMBz3JxSfx0VQt0g1XFBd_99FNtFvt2M6O4SrKlq2AaSjHaB4v2Cxadfm/s1600/Lys4.jpg
- http://pinoyerasmusmundus.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/greenish-glow-of-northern-lights.jpg
- http://media.photobucket.com/image/I%2525E2%252580%252599m%20at%20home%20with%20Christmas/calligraphie/Alsace2008154.jpg
- http://cedarlounge.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/sun_snow_oak.jpg
- http://www.visitsweden.com/ImageVault/Images/conversionFormat_13/id_149/ImageVaultHandler.aspx
- http://static.minitokyo.net/view/21/18/70921.jpg
- http://www.apparenting.com/Images/front-drive-snow.png
- http://www16.plala.or.jp/christmas1956/11ch-othe02/2001-pokemon.jpg
- http://www.scrapycrafter.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/christmas-house.jpg
- http://www.north-pole-christmas.com/uploads/Wallpaper/christmas_wallpaper_berries.jpg
- http://www.north-pole-christmas.com/uploads/Wallpaper/christmas_wallpaper_prettyblue.jpg
- http://typicalmacuser.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/800px-merry_christmas_1.png
- http://www.adobetutorialz.com/content_images/AdobePhotoshop/ART-D/tutorial423/23.jpg
- http://z.about.com/d/saltaquarium/1/0/F/P/1/merryxmas_text1_455.jpg
- http://www.kriyayoga.com/wallpapers/widescreen_wallpapers/christmas_wallpapers/christmas-orchids-dsc09812-ws.jpg
- http://www.kriyayoga.com/wallpapers/widescreen_wallpapers/christmas_wallpapers/christmas-wallpaper-pink-stargazer-dsc09909-ws.jpg
- http://www.zastavki.com/pictures/1280x1024/Christmas_wallpapers__003773_.jpg
- http://media.photobucket.com/image/christmas%20house/MarilynK44/Animated_Christmas_HouseSus.gif
- http://media.photobucket.com/image/merry-christmas-1.gif/commentsjunkie/christmas/merry-christmas-1.gif
- http://www.wordcatalystmagazine.com/images/912Merry%20Christmas-1.gif