Christmas with Family 2014

Hey you!

Welcome back to another post of mine regarding Christmas

(This will be a long but interesting post, beware but please enjoy)

How could I possibly miss the Christmas gatherings with family and relatives?

NOPE! Not a CHANCE!

I love Christmas gatherings rather than any other gatherings, to be honest.

Loving the Christmas lights, candles, exchange gifts session (will not missed), meeting up with loves one, pot-bless dinner and that exciting mood/feeling you get when you know there are more gatherings and celebrations ahead coming very soon

(referring to New Year and Chinese New Year)

By the way, pot-bless dinner is love.

Our version, it's like everyone will each bring either a home-cooked dishes or buy something (if they doesn't cook)

and my aunties are really good in cooking, so yeah, I get to eat home-cooked dishes

which I miss miss and love love it so much

I really enjoyed home-cooked dishes though I don't get to eat it everyday cause my parents don't cook (or perhaps busy working) 

Ps, that's why I love to go my aunty's house (Ah mmm's) - Vanessa, Sarah, Rachel 's mum

and yes cause I want to see the cute little Sha Lynn too. teehee

Okay, less of the talking now

Pictures speaks louder than words.

So I'll let the pictures describe how we celebrate our evening together (likey this word)

Here's to most of us, Cheers!

(Too bad some could not make it)

This time round we all gather at my house

Usually we will have our feasting in the garden 

but due to the heavy rain in the evening, the garden grass and soil are wet and muddy

So we decided to feast at the hallway of the entrance.

It's not spacious enough

That's why right after prayers, when the feasting starts . . .

it is like as if we're not eaten for days

1st Session - Feasting

Food of the Day

Appetizer

Salad with Homemade dressings

Italian Pumpkin Soup

Baked Vegetables

Main Course

Seafood Aglio Olio Spaghetti

Pork & Bacon Burger with Homemade Sauce

Balitong (aka Obtuse Hornsnail) with sambal and dried prawns

Ayamas Chicken

Desserts

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese frosting

Gandum (chinese traditional hot dessert)

Various Fruits

Snacks

Chicken Sate

Sausages

Bacons

Nachos

Avocado & Tuna dressings - homemade (applicable for dipping Nachos)

Drinks

F&N Orange and 100 plus with Lemon

not sure whether did I miss out anything or not

cause the truth is I don't get to taste all of it

I guess it's all too delicious until when the feasting starts . . . 

it never stops until the food is almost all finish

So if you're a slow eater (like ME), yeah I don't think you're able to enjoy every last bite of everything on the feasting table. 

See how most of them are staring at the food & waiting for the moment of feasting . . .  

I guess the burger is the dish of the night

It looks pretty simple for me at first too

but when you eat it, you want the second, third and more

I can tell you It's that nice!

After the feasting session, everyone stomach were fully satisfied

Next up is to watch 

2nd Session - "Flashback moment of our Memories" 

(slides presentation done by Vanessa & I)

So everyone gather around the living room to enjoy the short slideshows

The slideshows were compilation of all our old pictures when we're younger and the moment when we had gatherings

To think back, we had quite a number of gatherings every year

(I really love family gatherings)

Example,

Adventure - Hiking, Picnic, Camping, Cycling . . 

Games - Futsal, Bowling, Badminton . .

Birthdays - Grandpa's, Baby Shower . . 

Celebrations - Chinese New Year, Father's Day, National Day, Labour Day, Christmas

(I hope there are many more in future)

These are mostly all planned by my uncle, Pek Pek (Rachel, Sarah, Vanessa 's dad)

Credits to him, we get to have so many gatherings together

Okay back to the main topic.

So yeah, everyone gather around and prepare themselves to watch the slideshows

which is presenting on the wall

Do you spot the projector giving you bright signal?

Btw, that's me putting the peace sign, handling the laptop (spot me)

Give you a little break from my so very long post 

Here's a cute lil' girl smiling at you =)

That's my Ah mmm carrying her

Anyway, do you spot the presents at the background?

House was too crowded so no place for us to put so might as well make good use of the stairs right.

3rd Session - The Amazing Race Begins

First I would like to credit this to my uncle, Pek Pek for organizing and planning games for us to have even more fun though we're already having lots of fun already.

We actually plan to play the game at the garden.

Unfortunately, it's all muddy so we might have to turn down the idea of playing outside.

However, my uncle always have a contingency plan. Brilliant!

That's why the game took place in the living room.

The Amazing Race game had 3 parts and each 5 groups of people had to collect their points by playing the games.

What you need in the games : Education, Knowledge, Good Memory, Observant etc

hahaha but do you know what we had?

Cheating Traits! hehehe

(okay la not all of us cheat la) 

It's just for the sake of having fun. Besides, we cheated happily and some are happily being cheated.

So it's okay I guess (self-praised) cause I cheated too.

Anyway, uncle also had another game for everyone and it's call "Biscuit Roll" 

(if you're not sure what's that, scroll down for pictures, it's more clearer)

The purpose of this game is for everyone to have one great big LAUGHTER of the night

and YES, everyone did!

See all the weird facial expression they did. Hahaha

LAUGH and LAUGH and LAUGH

all we can

(Thorough explanation)

For better understanding of the game, it's actually like that.

You have to put a biscuit on your forehead and move your facial expression slowly in order for the biscuit to reach your mouth so that you can eat it. No hands allow. If it falls, you have to pick it up and restart again.

Finally, when there's a game, there will always be prizes.

To make it more exciting.

The prizes are sponsored by some of the relatives.

Generous of them, Thank you.

5th Place goes to . . . 

4th Place goes to . . . 

3rd Place goes to . . . 

2nd Place goes to . . . 

1st Place goes to . . . 

(by the way, I'm in this group) teehee

This are the prizes for the 1st Place participants including me.

KFC voucher for each person. Yummmsss ~

4th Session - Interrogation Moments

I guess you're wondering what am I referring to?

Why is there an interrogation happening in the family gatherings?

It's a way for the family to get to know more about the NEW-comers (boyfriends/girlfriends)

Sounds scary?

Actually it's not that scary like how the word 'interrogation' gives you.

The family member who bring their boyfriend/girlfriend have to present them in front of the family.

Then, the relatives will ask questions either about their personal information or both the dated couple's information. 

Finally, they would then decide whether PASS/FAIL!

(usually pass one la hehehe)

it's just for everyone to get to know the NEW-comers better actually.

COUPLE NO. 1 

Ian Wong and Wong Heey Cheng

COUPLE NO. 2

Adrian Koay and Sarah Khoo

COUPLE NO. 3

Thean Wei Boon and Vicky Khoo

(which is also the longest interrogation period)

cause all want to bully my dad and see his facial expression

COUPLE NO. 4

Steve Chew & Esther Siah

(By the way, that's not Steve. He had chicken pox so not able to make it to the gathering)

That's my cousin replacing another cousin, Steve. So the girlfriend wouldn't be so awkward standing alone.

COUPLE NO. 5

Shaun Leow and Vanessa Khoo

5th Session - Gift Exchange

The moment everyone been waiting for.

Not much pictures here.

Too excited for presents I guess. haha

Numbers picked

Gifts exchanged.

Gifts unwrapping momento

6th Session - Group Family Photo

Take 1

Take 2

with presents

Hope you've enjoyed all the sessions like we did

even though with only pictures and words from me

Can't wait for the next gathering already

See you soon