Showing posts with label Festive season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Festive season. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

A meaningful Christmas - volunteering with Lions Befrienders.

As I grow older, my Christmas wishlist gets shorter because the things I want cannot be bought - like friendship, kinship, and true happiness.

Today was a meaningful day where I spent the afternoon with some friends and children distributing food ration to the elderly living alone.
Some are blind, some are wheelchair-bound, some can only speak dialect, most are alone and live in suboptimal conditions.

As it was our first time doing charity work with my children, I was so apprehensive of their reactions.
But my worries were unfounded because as it turned out, all the kids present today were helpful and enthusiastic and did not mind the squalid living conditions they were faced with.
They fought over who to carry what, and raced to be first to knock on the doors.

About Lions Befrienders:
Lions Befrienders is a voluntary welfare organization founded in 1995 by the Lions Club of Singapore and a Lions District Project.
LB's mission is to provide friendship and care to the lonely poor elderly.

lions befrienders singapore mom bloggers Mumzilla veron zhen bumblebeemum
At Qian Wen's (Raising our successful children) place during our Christmas dinner last weekend, packing the ration for 60 families! All in a small bedroom, and we managed to do it efficiently too :D
Thanks Qian Wen for coordinating everything with such fluidity!

lions befrienders singapore mom bloggers mumzilla veron zhen bumblebeemum
On the actual distribution day: 7 families with our respective children contributed to make it happen.
Meet-up point was at Redhill Close, near to the Redhill market and Redhill MRT Station.

Normally ask them help me carry groceries also grumble but today they were all so enthusiastic.
What a surprise for me!




lions befrienders singapore mom bloggers veron zhen mumzilla
Mission accomplished! It was a roaring success!
Thank you Juline from Lions Befrienders for helping us out and making the process a smooth and hiccup-free one for first-timer us.

My objective was to expose my children to people who were less fortunate than them, and make them realize comfort and fortune are not everyone's birth rights.
Only humanity and kindness are.
Today, my objective was not only met but surpassed by the actions and effort of all our children.

Well done, kids! I am proud of each and every one of you.
Indeed, not all gifts are found under the Christmas tree, and today I learned a new lesson - while we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.

If you would like to join Lions Befrienders as a volunteer, please go to their website.

Wish you all a Merry, MERRY Christmas and Happy New Year.
May 2016 bring you joy, peace, health and happiness.


Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Gardens by the Bay Christmas Wonderland 2015.

December is usually a month of travel for us, being Andy's birthday month, school holidays and all.
When we are actually in town, it is filled with a frenzy of gift-shopping and party-going.
 
This year, I managed to squeeze in some free time to bring the boys to Gardens by the Bay for the second year running of Christmas Wonderland as we missed it last year.
To be honest, the carnival and light-up totally surpassed my expectations as we were treated to a feast for the senses.
 
My little elves decked in green, ready to soak in the festive cheer :)

This upside-down mirror trick-eye thing was quite a hit with the big kids.



Prices of rides and games.

The carnival games have really attractive prizes!
2-5 tokens ($4 - $10) each round.



christmas wonderland 2015 fairground gardens by the bay mumzilla
Adam is very pro at funfair games. He actually won 1 red Baymax plushie first, but Ashton started crying because he couldn't win, and korkor Adam helped Ashton win one too.
Proud of my big boy!

We didn't have such luck at the other games because they were tough >_<



christmas wonderland 2015 gardens by the bay, mumzilla blog carousel
$6 per ride (3 tokens), but accompanying parent for small children go on for free.



helter skelter christmas wonderland gardens by the bay
My boys recognized the Helter Skelter because it is in one of their Peppa Pig books. Ahhh the power of reading.
Standing at 14m in height, the Helter Skelter wins The Slide at T3 Changi Airport!
However, there is a height limit for this, so be sure to measure up!

$8 (4 tokens) per ride.

Ice-cream and cold drinks beckon.

$6 per train ride (3 tokens).

Candy floss, $2 per stick. My Double As were happy to end their evening with some sweet treats before their Daddy came to fetch us home for dinner.
 
Thanks to Gardens by the Bay and Blue Sky Events, there is not a need to travel into the blistering cold countries just to enjoy the yuletide season.
With its European style festive market and carnivals, and Italian Luminarie light sculptures, there is something for people of all ages.
 
Looks like we will be back next year!


About Gardens by the Bay Christmas Wonderland:
27 Nov 2015 - 03 Jan 2016
Time: 4pm - 11pm.

Snow blizzard timings:
Mon - Thur and Sundays: 8pm, 9pm, and 10pm.
Fri & Sat: 8pm, 9pm, 9:45pm.

Admission is FREE but do check out the various prices for rides and games.
 
 
 

Friday, January 31, 2014

Horsing around in the Year of Horse 2014

Hi all, how did the first day of your CNY go? For us, it's an annual mad rush to go from house to house to visit as many relatives as possible. The kids can only take cat naps in the car, the adults are busy giving out Angpaos, and we are out of the house for easily 12 hours.
 At least the kids have a lot of fun collecting Angpaos and snacking on pastries and new year goodies.
REUNION DINNER with my parents and family:














HAPPY & PROSPEROUS LUNAR NEW YEAR 2014!
: Wishing you success and may you achieve your goals.


CNY 初一

: Happy new year!

Cheongsam from To-a-tee at The Cathay.
Clutch: Hermes Dogon.
Earrings: Chanel.
Watch: Rolex ladies oyster perpetual datejust.

: May all your hopes be fulfilled and best wishes.

: May all your wishes come true.

Cheongsam from Guangzhou during my recent trip there. I am so in love with the hand-sewn Phoenix sequins that I bought another piece in black!
Bag: Hermes Birkin.
Earrings: Chanel.
Watch: Cartier.


 History of Lunar New Year:
The centuries-old legend on the origins of the New Year celebration varies from teller to teller, but they all include a story of a terrible mythical monster who preyed on villagers.
The lion-like monster’s name was Nian (年) which is also the Chinese word for “year."
The stories also all include a wise old man who counsels the villagers to ward off the evil Nian by making loud noises with drums and firecrackers and hanging red paper cutouts and scrolls on their doors because for some reason, the Nian is scared of the color red.
The villagers took the old man’s advice and the Nian was conquered. On the anniversary of the date, the Chinese recognize the “passing of the Nian” known in Chinese as guo nian (过年), which is also synonymous with celebrating the new year.

 Since then, it is tradition to wear red and hang red ornaments and decorations for CNY! :)