{"id":9911,"date":"2014-11-18T10:13:58","date_gmt":"2014-11-18T02:13:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/?p=9911"},"modified":"2014-11-18T11:16:47","modified_gmt":"2014-11-18T03:16:47","slug":"home-is-where-the-traditions-are","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/2014\/11\/home-is-where-the-traditions-are\/","title":{"rendered":"Home…is where the traditions are"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PumpkinIt\u2019s the year-end holidays and the kids\u2019 classes (and exams) are done for the year. In fact, the PSLE results will be out this Friday. Many parents are\u00a0either busy ferrying their kids for a myriad of holiday activities, bringing the family\u00a0overseas or are searching for enriching and fun activities to occupy the kids. We are no different.<\/p>\n

In the midst of filling up the holiday schedules with things to do, let us remember that there is some need for consistency, in particular traditions that make for that meaningful\u00a0\u2018uniquely yours\u2019 family moment as the year draws to a close and another opens.<\/p>\n

Most families can attest that traditions do make for long-lasting memorable family moments. As a child, I remember the annual Chinese New Year 3-hour long homecoming road trip to my late grandparents \u2018kampung\u2019. From there, another unique set of CNY traditions with my grandparents would then ensue where all the grandchildren would either perform on a musical instrument or show our Grandpa our report cards before receiving our red packets. I also remember fondly how my businessman Dad would always surprise us with postcards sent from the planes he was travelling overseas and the annual \u2018donation drive\u2019 my Mum would do with us to bless orphans with our toys and books. Ah, while variety gives colour, traditions give meaning.<\/p>\n

\"Pumpkin<\/p>\n

Traditions are not difficult to start\u00a0and need not be too \u2018high-order\u2019 or \u2018high-maintenance\u2019. Like most great things, it can start with a small idea. For the Sims, our Christmas traditions center on our \u2018tree\u2019 \u2013 ok,\u00a0to be exact, our 6-feet tall \u2018fake\u2019 Christmas tree. It\u2019s no ordinary tree mind you, it\u2019s been with us since we wed\u00a0(yes, 15 years and counting!) The tree\u00a0has been \u2018travelling\u2019 with us (both literally and figuratively) when we moved from one home\u00a0to another. In good times, it testifies of God\u2019s\u00a0provision\u00a0over the years\u00a0and in bad times, it reminds us that God sent a Savior (nope, not Santa but Jesus Christ) to give us hope, peace and salvation.<\/p>\n

\"Pumpkin\"Pumpkin<\/p>\n

So, one of the year-end traditions in our home is\u00a0to set up the Christmas tree together with melodic carols playing in the background. The ornaments that adorn the tree each have special significance \u2013 they are bought from the different places we\u2019ve travelled: the \u2018evil eye\u2019 from Turkey, the miniature hand-painted clogs from Amsterdam, the glass Christmas orbs from Heidelberg, Germany, the handcrafted wooden Snowman & Santa from Taipei, the Mickey & Minnie bells from Disneyland and so on. As we set up the tree, we reminiscence the\u00a0holiday memories\u00a0and rekindle our wander\u00a0lust. With the addition of our daughter, \u00a0we would involve her in stringing the garlands and hanging her favourite\u00a0ornaments on the tree. For the last bit, she would wait for Daddy to carry her up to place the North Star at the top before we huddle\u00a0together,\u00a0watch it light up and glisten in the night. \u00a0This year, we are so blessed to have Buddy join in this tradition! \u00a0A new tradition\u00a0Angie\u00a0started last\u00a0year\u00a0was to create\u00a0an\u00a0Advent Calendar<\/a>\u00a0with Dana where we did\u00a0something different each day to spread the festive cheer in the days leading up to Christmas. \u00a0This year, we\u00a0hope to use ‘Truth in the Tinsel<\/a>‘ to help Dana make meaning of\u00a0the festivities through Scripture reading, crafts and simple family discussions.<\/p>\n

\"PumpkinAlong with the tree and Advent study would be the singing of hymns and carols on car rides\u00a0and writing postcards to our loved ones who\u00a0lived near and far. It is also our family’s tradition to only unwrap the gifts on boxing day (26 Dec, day after Christmas).<\/p>\n

As the whirlwind of the year\u2019s activities draws to an end\u00a0(and the manic Christmas shopping starts), remember to pause\u00a0and\u00a0reflect on the year, give thanks, revisit key family values and, if need be \u2013 like us, re-establish meaningful family traditions that are truly, uniquely yours\u00a0for\u00a0your family\u00a0to keep.<\/p>\n

\"Pumpkin\"PumpkinHave a blessed\u00a0Yuletide season.<\/p>\n

\"\"Our kids are lovingly clothed by Pumpkin Patch Singapore<\/a>.\u00a0 Do visit their Facebook page<\/a> to check out the “Winter Wonderland” collection\u00a0for little boys and girls.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s the year-end holidays and the kids\u2019 classes (and exams) are done for the year. In fact, the PSLE results will be out this Friday. Many parents are\u00a0either busy ferrying their kids for a myriad of holiday activities, bringing the family\u00a0overseas or are searching for enriching and fun activities to occupy the kids. We are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":9921,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[68,83],"tags":[335],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Pumpkin-Patch-Christmas10.jpg?fit=1140%2C759&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p59hHF-2zR","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9911"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9911"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9911\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9964,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9911\/revisions\/9964"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}