CHRISTMAS - A NOSTALGIA

Christmas always brings back fond memories of a family in Huntington, Long Island, New York. When I was in West Hartford, I befriended a couple - Susan and Tom. My first December there, I had been 3 months away from home and naturally felt very lonely. (It seemed I was the first and only Malaysian sent to that corner of the world!) Susan and Tom and Sue's family in Huntington were so kind as to invite me to experience my first Christmas with an American family. It was funny in the beginning because they had never heard of Malaysia before. So they had to take out the globe and pin-point exactly right across the globe where Malaysia was.

Tom, Susan and Grendel, the dog, in front of the Christmas tree I helped decorate.

I helped to decorate the Christmas tree with silvery tinsels, candybar sticks, light bulbs and other xmas knick-nacks. Before that, I wrapped several presents for the family, some I made myself, some I brought from home. These were placed under the tree. The family also had a stocking with my name on it hanged above the fire-place. I had my first taste of egg-nog, sans the alcohol of course. After the special Christmas dinner, we adjourned to the basement for an impromptu concert by the family. I performed 'the candle dance' dressed in my traditional red, velvet 'baju kurong' much to the delight of my hosts. When it was almost midnite, I followed them to church. It was already crowded so we had to take the front pew. When they were singing the Christmas carols I was 'alive' because I knew most of the songs being from a convent school. Then when it was time for the sermons, my head nodded off - well, it was way past midnite! When we left the church, it was just barely snowing, not even enough to cover the ground.

(Will continue this story in my next posting).