It's almost Christmas

Once again, the "best time of the year" is closer than ever; it's only a few days away to Christmas. And soon, it'll be over.

Personally I think it's complicated in Singapore. As Christmas day gets closer and closer, we find ourselves starting to think about Chinese New Year. Soon even before Christmas is over, Chinese New Year festivities items have already started their sales. Oh, and also, there's this "Winter Solstice Festival" that falls on 21st Dec this year, where one of the things people do is to consume tang yuan. With all these celebrations arriving one after the other with little time between them, don't you find it all a little too overwhelming? Is this uniquely Singapore? Regardless of which, here's a final(probably) entry to everything Christmas for 2016.

Next entry would probably come after Christmas and also, that'll probably be the last for 2016. Then, we'll welcome the first entry for 2017.

To view all the 2016 Christmas entries, click here! Enjoy.

Wishing you a Blessed Christmas!

TANGS, the Christmas Store. For as far as my limited memory has it, this retail mall always have a quote as part of their Christmas decorations with reference to the Bible. I think they used to be closed for business on Sundays and Christmas day, but I'm not too sure whether they still hold on to this tradition.

I never understand why Orchard Road is chosen as the street to be lighted up for the holiday season. And also, why is that a "great street"? The only reason I can think of is largely due to Orchard Road being a well-known shopping belt. But again, what has shopping got to do with Christmas?

Orchard Road is a tiring place for me due to the crowds. Ultimately I gave up on the attempt to snap anything else.

It's a challenge not to find any baubles in almost all the decorations every Christmas. But if I'm right, traditions has it that apples were used before baubles came about.

Christmas tree themed with baubles.

Here's a bauble imprinted with snowmans.

And here's Santa Claus busy with painting.

Another Santa Claus, now skiing to the right.

Santa Claus skiing to the left.

Glittery Christmas tree ornament.

Reindeer and its gifts.

Angelic choir.

That's all for now. Let's not forget what Christmas is really about in the midst of all the brightly lit decorations, feasting, and material gifts giving and exchanging. Christmas is actually and simply about celebrating/commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.



View it slightly larger: Click on the individual photographs or here
Taken in: November, December 2016 | Time: Daytime, Evening/Night, indoors, outdoors
Photograph size above: 800 or 640 pixels (longer side)