a Journey

every Christmas, we'd inadvertenly start asking loved ones: "What do you want for Chirstmas this year?" or we'll try to 2nd guess what they want and buy it for them before the 25th of Dec rolls around. for the past 21 Christmas-es, i honestly cannot say that there are particular gifts/presents which stand out in my mind. but there are memories of time spent with loved ones which evoke smiles and nostalgia in my locket of yesteryear memories.

like the time all of us trooped down to melaka for christmas, and i was treated to fireworks at the portuguese settlement :) and i will never forget the night we went into random strangers' homes and were welcomed with open arms, smiles, wine, good food, homemade cookies, different forms and colours of the Nativity scene. such warmth, and genuine excitement and happiness for christmas... i've never experienced it here before. and when midnight came around, we were hugged and wished Feliz Navidad all around. adults and children alike were laughing and cheering the arrival of Christmas.. :) that was an amazing gift; the experience. cheers to my cousins who drove through midnight mass traffic just for me. love.

and when i was in england, the snow really added to the whole experience. it was only the lead up to chirstmas, but the stream of music coming from the shops as we walked along the cobbled streets, hand-in-hand with our friends... it was such sweet memories. the feeling of friendship & the warmth and love.

these were my best Christmas gifts ever.

so as the time for Chirstmas rolls around again, i've a list of wishes & wants, once again. but it's different this time around, and i hope that it'll be beautiful enough for my loved ones.

1. mend a quarrel
2. seek out a long-lost friend
3. choose to trust instead of suspect
4. write a long overdue love note (no bf, but i still have plenty of lovelies! :))
5. forgive someone i hate
6. offer to help someone who's reached the end of his/her tether
7. express appreciation
8. make a kid happy
9. find time to keep a promise (so many overdue meet ups, so little time!)
10. send a gift, ANNOYMOUSLY ;) hehe
11. remove a grudge from my horde of grudges (i will be less petty X 100)
12. listen
13. apologise for a wrong
14. smile & laugh
15. chat face-to-face with my loved ones:: without having the TV/internet on
16. have a homecooked meal with beautiful music playing in the background
17. do the dishes voluntarily
18. be patient even when i feel like smacking the person (i will be gentle)
19. be encouraging to my grandparents/parents instead of teasing them about how old they are
20. lessen my demands on others. (i'm sorry i'm such a prissy princess)
21. read/ send a poem i love to my lovelies
22. share a friend's sorrow... because they've always held me as i cried. y'all so deserve this.

so maybe i won't be able to finish it by dec 25th... but hey, why not make christmas a month before the New Year comes round ;) darlings, what's your wish list this year?