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Because I love Christmas
Origins of Santa Claus
Frugal Articles
Recycle Those Old Christmas Decorations
Articles published elsewhere
Funky, Free and Frugal Christmas Decorations
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An Expat's Christmas in SingaporeChristmas shopping in a winter wonderland of fake snow, Singapore style.I was breaking in a new pair of sandals and contemplating whether I should have brought an umbrella. The skies were darkening and a little whiff of fishy ocean smell sailed past on a breeze that might have been two degrees lower than the sultry air. My mission? Shop for Christmas. It was a shock to walk into the little store out of the heavily humid heat and be greeted with Santa on his sleigh merrily jingling over mounds of 'snow'. On his back was the traditional sack of gifts and a set of ice skates spilling over the top. Ice skates. I wondered if any of the smiling, young clerks had ever seen ice that didn't come from the market or a refrigerator. If they had lived all their lives in this place, they'd never even seen a frost, much less a freeze. "This place" was Singapore, 1980. Christmas to me meant a land of snow and ice and miracles of the heart - North Pole style - but Singapore has it's own version of a "Christmas Wonderland". An island city that is a country, Singapore is heavily Chinese in culture, with a good sprinkling of Indian, English and American influences. Therefore, the holiday, as most things are in Singapore, is a mixture that can be quite confusing. Nativity scenes are mixed with rides on the cable car to Sentosa where you can enjoy a dinner under the stars and wonder if that one is the star. Traditional Christmas carols tinkle and lights glamorize the huge shopping malls as people scurry this way and that, shopping, shopping, shopping... They got that part right, anyway. Singapore is a shopper's paradise, with enormous high rise shopping centers that are like little cities in themselves. Huge (artificial) Christmas trees were set in open centers and decorated with everything from sparkling plastic stars to tiny ceramic Siamese cats. Indian bronze bells and little Chinese gongs clapped and rang now and then as the breeze caught them just right. Fake snow drifted downward, then was blown back up a duct to drift once more. Bukit Timah, that red and gold wonder, was more dazzling than ever and even sedate Plaza Singapura wore merry red bows and fake evergreens. As we went here and there over the island, I slowly began to feel a little magic along with the nostalgia. Santa seemed so far away, along with my snow boots and mittens, and yet there was something in the air. A smile, a laugh, a "Merry Christmas!". An excited child with his nose pressed against the glass case of an electric train that went 'round and 'round. Silver and gold wrapping paper and ribbons to match. A tree (at last) and our own ornaments from home. A real (and very expensive) ham for dinner. It began to actually feel a little like it should. Sandals or snow boots, rain or snow... Singapore or Wyoming, Christmas is somehow still Christmas. Back to Christmas! |
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