Tis the Season

Carolling in my School, an open invitation to the community.


We (Mt Albert Baptist Church) entertained thousands of guests, raised money for Plunket for children aand dug a well in Thailand.

My Canadian Roommate MaryAnne invited me back to her parents home in Kingsville, Ontario, Canada for my first White Christmas. I see her mum make mince pies, and my first bite wasn't what I expected. It was sweet, made of fruits. I had expected it to be savory, made of minced meat. That was the best Christmas I ever had.

This is the goodie bag that we gave out 3000 of them. Some people didn't want them thinking they had to pay for the,. Some people asked more more though we told them it was one per family. One insisted he had 2 kids, and one balloon wasn't good for them. I must tell the organisers. Perhaps next year, we should have spare balloons in our pockets.

A night of sugar! sugar! and more sugar!. During the later part of the evening, I decided I won't ask the kids, I asked the parents if the kids were allowed. It was Christmas, and most parents said "Yes."

I enjoyed this photo more than most, I used this to teach the children and adult students," Compare and Contrast" the tradition Santa and our Kiwianna/New Zealand Santa.

The Crossing is a Bi-annual issue by Mt Albert Baptist Church. This is included inside our goodie bag with carols to sing by candle light. It also has an interview done by me.

For a bit of fun, I bought this apron as a gift. Rudolph the red nose reindeer.

Presents! presents! presents! I got a very pleasant surprise this year. My group of adult ESOL students banded together and gave me this present.

Lollies, sweets, candy canes, gums came out of this bag for the kids that came to the Christmas in Rocket Park. It appears gums were most popular. Some kids wanted to swap, and I told them, sorry, perhaps you can swap it with friends.

End of the school year. we had a secret santa. This was what I got. We were told to give something between $5 and $10. Someone obviously bought something more than $10. It was anonynmous, so nobody knew what I bought. I did not buy $5 worth, neither did I buy $10. I remember the Kris Kringle incident when I was first in Canada. As residents of Laurier Hall in the University Of Windsor, we blind chose our Kris Kringle. As freaky as it sounds, my Kris Kringle was also the one who I was Kris Kringle to. I recycled some of her wrapping paper, and at the end of the party, we were asked to guess who our Kris Kringle was. She named me and I almost died of embarrassment. Today, as an environmentalist, I advocate recycling, but not in 1975 as as a 20 years old. I tell this true tale on Christmas day. I wonder if this American gal would have done the same.

I wore a head band with 2 Santas on my head to school the Monday after Christmas in the Park. I wore them during the Christmas in the Park. The teachers and kids LOL.



People ask "what are you doing at Christmas?" "Are you going away for Christmas?"

Christmas is a bit of Christian religion, a bit of fun and lots of memories.


Christmas as a child in Borneo,
Was going to Mid Night Mass,
Was having a supper after church,
Decorating a tree.
Dad had lived in England and brought this custom back.
Christmas was Open House,
People came to visit, and mum made tit bits.

Christmas in Canada was wonderful.
My first white Christmas,
Mince pies, pecan pies,
Seeing Canadian geese.
Kris Kringle for a week.

Christmas as an adult,
In New Zealand, Singapore and Australia,
was a mixed bag.
Lots of fun,
Lots of parties and presents.
Secret Santas.

For the last 3 years in New Zealand,
We have Christmas in Rocket Park.
This I feel is the real meaning of Christmas,http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Sharing the Good News to non Christians,
The Good news that Jesus came.
Sharing a happy time with other Christians.




Sunday Stills-’Tis the Season (December 18th
Posted in Uncategorized on December 11, 2011 by Linda

What represents this Christmas season to you? Is it lighted trees, decorations, food…..snow? Photograph whatever represents this season to you.


http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/