(c)Research on Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mystical beast called the Nian or "Year" in Chinese. It would come and devour villagers. The villagers will asked for the help of a great lion Spirit, which came and attacked, then wounding Nian, which drove it away. The following year the lion was protecting the Emperor's palace so the people were left defenceless. To adapt to this, the people created a statue resembling the dragon using bamboo and cloth. This was enough to scare away Nian, creating the Tradition of using the lion spirit costumes to show an important symbol of this celebration.
(c)Research on Christmas
What is Christmas?
Christmas in short, is a Christian feast commemorating the birth of Jesus.
How did Christmas come about? (Summarised)
Since about 400 AD, Christians have celebrated the birth of Jesus. 'Christ' means 'Messiah' or 'Anointed’.
In the West today, the real meaning of Christmas is often forgotten. It has become a non-religious holiday! More children believe in Father Christmas than in Jesus. Christmas Day is a time for eating and drinking too much and watching television. But the real Christmas story is found in the Christian Bible. It is told in two different books: Matthew and Luke chapters 1 and 2. If you have no Bible, you can read these chapters online. You may think that the story of the birth of Jesus, and the way that the West celebrates Christmas today, do not seem to have many connections.
The old man with the sack
'Santa Claus has become the human face of Christmas. Pictures will be seen everywhere of the old man with long white beard, red coat, and bag of toys. Children are taught that he brings them presents the night before Christmas, and many children up to the age of 7 or 8 really believe this is true. It is said that he lives near the North Pole, and arrives through the sky on a sledge pulled by reindeer. He comes into houses down the chimney at midnight and places presents for the children in front of the family Christmas tree.
In shops or at children's parties, someone will dress up as Father Christmas and give small presents to children, or ask them what gifts they want for Christmas. Christmas can be a time of magic and excitement for children.
Compare and Contrast Labels: Wilson
What I experience for Christmas is very different from Jess. I got a lot of my cousins and friend playing with me every time I celebrate Christmas. I got my family with me during Christmas and my parents buy nice presents for us. Just like Jess’s father, who use more of his money on the racing car.
Compare & Contrast Labels: Jia Le
Under the moon at night,my families and relatives,some in Malaysia and Singapore, we will have chalet and play whole night.But my families and relatives don't exchange presents,unlike Jess,the parents give Jess his racing cars,Leslie gives him watercolour and art papers.However,we will each give our blessing to all our relatives in exchange.After that we will all tell stories,either suspence or trilling stories at night,something like Leslie telling Jess stories.We eat mostly party snacks,which are different from Jess,he doesn't have much to eat.
Compare and contrast Labels: Melvin
My family will usually meet at the relatives' places.We will call upon and feast and celebrate.After that,we exchange presents and play cards.Jess,he meets Leslie in Terabithia instead of going out.They didn't eat such nice food,instead just some snacks.They didn't play cards but chit-chat in Terabithia.
Compare and Contrast Labels: Yu Wei
Every year I had Christmas at my cousin's house while Jess had his in his own house.
We celebrated by having a feast, playing together and singing a HAPPY CHRISTMAS DAY Song and last but not least, presents while Jess only got a present during Christmas.
Compare & Contrast Labels: Chin Yong
My family will have a nice feast with traditional food.Jess,however,they didn't have a feast.They exchange presents like we do.We go to cousins' house and play,but Jess gone to the groves of the pines.
Compare and Contrast Labels: Douglas
What I exprienced in Christmas is almost the same as what Jess had experienced, just that my cousins came to my house and play. I also give cousins presents i bought earlier on and in return, they also gave me presents. Jess gave Leslie a puppy for Christmas, Leslie gave Jess a box of water colours and both of them are overwhelmed with excitment. So was my relatives, we all enjoyed Christmas, it is a good time to be together and have fun.
On December 24th, the Christmas Eve, my family and I went out for shopping. We were preparing things we need on Christmas because my cousins would be coming to our house. We bought a lot of things and we also went to a lot of supermarkets. It was tiring but a joyous thing to be with my family because we seldom go out. After buying cookies, chocolates and presents we finally can go home and rest. Labels: Douglas
The next day, December 25th, is Christmas! My cousins came in the afternoon and were all smiling. We gave each other Christmas presents. We spent the whole day together talking and joking around.
There was one very funny thing that happened during Christmas. My cousin and I were trying to bake some chocolate cookies without our parents help and we made a mess in the kitchen. The funny thing was that instead of using sugar, we actually used salt. The cookies came out salty and it tastes funny. We were still very proud of our cookies.
After that, we were scolded by our parents for making a big mess in the kitchen. We were punished to clean up the kitchen but we still smiled happily as if we were not even scolded.
I really like Christmas because it is one of the festivals that my family members, cousins and friends can get together. Other than that, I do not meet my cousins often.
My Christmas started buying presents. It was very complicated as my father had left me some money to buy the presents for my cousins. It took me quite long before I decided. Labels: Yu Wei
During Christmas Eve, I slept in my cousin’s house, which is the place where we celebrate Christmas every year, as I was needed to look after my cousins. (Age 6, 8)We had a great time as their mother went out to prepare the Christmas night. We played PS2 for almost the whole day. When it was around 7pm, my grandparents, parents and the other came. We started off by having a splendid dinner. It was like a feast as there was chicken, duck, “old chang kee”, popiah, curry, fried rice and many more.
After that, my cousins and I went to their room to play some games. 1 hour later, everyone was called together to sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CHRISTMAS as the cake had a happy birthday sign. I didn’t know why but everyone sang happily. The cake was divided among all of us. Each of us received a small piece as it was small. Next was giving out the presents, I received a ‘BIG ONE.” Finally, it was time to go, I felt sad as I would have to wait for 1 year to celebrate again.
On the 25th of December, it was Christmas Day. I woke up with a start, and rushed to change into my Christmas clothes. “Wow, it is already 12 noon,” as I glanced at my watch, regretting spending the night yesterday counting down how many minutes it would be Christmas. Labels: Chin Yong
As I stepped out of the room, the mouth-watering aroma of roasted turkey filled my lungs and the magnificent sight of the Christmas tree greeted me. Unable to resist the temptation, I ran up to the Christmas tree and took my present. My elder brother, John, saw me and said in a stern tone,” No touching of presents until dusk.”
Disappointed, I went to eat lunch with my family. The living room was decorated with streamers and Christmas wallpaper. Artificial snow fell in the living room and the hi-fi set was booming with Christmas Carols. Then, I proceeded into the dining room. What an amazing sight it was! The dining table is loaded with all the delicious food you could every think of and in the middle of the table stood a golden-brown, crispy-looking turkey.
“Good Afternoon, Mum and Dad,” I greeted exuberantly as I sat down beside the table to join my parents. Famished, I helped myself to the chicken wings and spaghetti. In less than 30 minutes, everyone was as bloated like a balloon.
After the sumptuous meal, I went to my backyard to have a snowball fight with my 2 siblings. It was great fun, especially when a snowball landed on someone’s head. The person will look like a snowman and everyone will succumb to fits of laughter. On that evening, we ate at a restaurant as we had already used up all our groceries that afternoon.
At the end of the day, my family and I were all exhausted but elated. This memorable Christmas Day will be remembered as it was the best Christmas I have ever experienced!
On 24th December, which is on Christmas Eve, my cousin had plan for a event to celebrate Christmas day by going to bowling and going for Sakae sushi and last but not least go to watch a movie “ National Treasure” Labels: Melvin Teo
As my cousin brought us to “SAFRA” to bowl, he asked my sister whether her friends were coming to bowl. After much decision my sister and her friends decided not to go and will wait for us at Sakae sushi and they will book the place and after we had finished bowling.
After an hour and a half the match finally ended and I got last in place although I was second in the first match. After we ended, my sister called my cousin and told him that they had booked the table and was asking us to come quickly before they started.
When we had reached there, my sister and her friends were starting to eat and after seeing them eating, we begin to eat. When my cousin ate his fill, he distributed all the present that he folded with the help of my brother and myself.
Then, a funny thing happened, after distributing the gifts at my sister’s table he went to the table in the middle of us and was intending to give the gifts out but luckily I stop him and told him that they were not my sister’s friends.
After we had eaten our fill, my cousin brought us to the cinema and brought the tickets.
Though, it was cold as the air-con is very big, I enjoyed the movie and when to my cousin’s house to stay, as I had to go tuition the next day.
The most memorable occasion or perhaps, festival I celebrated was the Chinese New Year. Particularly, I’m not on for any red packets, less or more the red packets I get, what I really want for my Chinese Year is in fact the warmth and family’s spirit, eating as one reunion was the thing I always looked forward. Labels: Jia Le
Usually, I get to unite with my cousins, I can’t name them all because my family tree has been carried on for few generations, and thus the members are unexpectedly huge. The good thing was that the more generations of our family carried on, the more uncles and aunts I would have, which meant my red packets will be enough for me to spent on my needs for few months.
During the 15 days of Chinese New Year, we actually visited one another often. My family would prepare food and bring to the place where my other aunts and uncles would meet and we’ll have some sort of feast for the rest of Chinese New Year. The best part was, my cousins and I, can actually fill the whole house! Hence, we got two houses in Malaysia. One whole houses for the aunts and uncles as well as our parents. Another house for the cousins as well as my siblings and me. We stayed up late at night and usually play games and talk about past as well as school life. We played pokers and even hide and seek or catching, the house was really big, something like a bungalow except there wasn’t any high technology facilities.
My family usually goes to 'Tanjung Putus' during Christmas. This island is not very famous because ‘putus’ means no connection and this island doesn't connect to anywhere else. It like another world with totally no connection to the outside world and you'll have to find yourselves a way out. This place has no signal as well, thus it is an isolated island which cannot signal or emits radio wave. Labels: Wilson Hartono
And there are only three things you can do here. This island is like a nature resort with activities that doesn’t harm the island but give the tourists the true beauty nature. Canoeing on the lakes, snorkeling below the beautiful seabed, swimming with the fishes or fishing, these are things that u doesn’t do often in Singapore. But snorkeling is not very safe; there is no coach to guide you. Around the island are unexplored caves which you can explore, this might be one of the fun things you can do there. Who know? Maybe you will discover undeads or maybe something extraordinary.
Many people ask, why my family chose to go to this island… Well, my father just wants us to have a pleasant Christmas without being disturbed by his clients. That why he chose an island with no connection to the outside world!