This Christmas, much like Thanksgiving, is one for the record books. It is my first Christmas away from the fam besides the fact that I'm spending it in India. Although it has been sad not being home during this time of year, the Christmas festivities at Rising Star have been spectacular--there never seems to be a shortage of love here, even when there is hardly anyone on campus.
For Christmas Eve, Jim and Pam had all the volunteers (myself and Lyndsey and their granddaughter and her husband) over to their apartment for a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner. We had ham and potatoes and corn and cheese sticks and you would have thought we were in America--it was super! After we finished eating we did a gift exchange. Giving gifts is definitely my "love language" so the exchange was definitely a highlight for me. One of the best gifts given was from Lyndsey to Jim. The men here in India love to wear bright sequined shirts. So that Jim could fit in with his co-workers, Lyndsey had a baby blue sequined shirt custom-made for Jim....it's the best shirt ever.
After our gift exchange, we went outside and joined the few kids and staff that stayed at Rising Star for the Christmas holiday. Besides the six white folk, we had Venilla and her two boys Stephen and Michael; Vadevu the house warden; Shankar, Sujatha, and Karthik from 10th standard who had to stay at school over the break to study and couldn't go home for Christmas because they live too far away; Mark one of the office workers; and Shankar the security guard. It was a great little group to spend Christmas Eve with, that's for sure. W had some left over fireworks from Diwali so we figured there was no better time than Christmas Eve to light them off. We brought out the stereo and had a grand-old time setting off fireworks, playing with sparklers, and just enjoying each other's company on Christmas Eve.
For Christmas Eve, Jim and Pam had all the volunteers (myself and Lyndsey and their granddaughter and her husband) over to their apartment for a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner. We had ham and potatoes and corn and cheese sticks and you would have thought we were in America--it was super! After we finished eating we did a gift exchange. Giving gifts is definitely my "love language" so the exchange was definitely a highlight for me. One of the best gifts given was from Lyndsey to Jim. The men here in India love to wear bright sequined shirts. So that Jim could fit in with his co-workers, Lyndsey had a baby blue sequined shirt custom-made for Jim....it's the best shirt ever.
After our gift exchange, we went outside and joined the few kids and staff that stayed at Rising Star for the Christmas holiday. Besides the six white folk, we had Venilla and her two boys Stephen and Michael; Vadevu the house warden; Shankar, Sujatha, and Karthik from 10th standard who had to stay at school over the break to study and couldn't go home for Christmas because they live too far away; Mark one of the office workers; and Shankar the security guard. It was a great little group to spend Christmas Eve with, that's for sure. W had some left over fireworks from Diwali so we figured there was no better time than Christmas Eve to light them off. We brought out the stereo and had a grand-old time setting off fireworks, playing with sparklers, and just enjoying each other's company on Christmas Eve.
I LOVE SPARKLERS!
We had these crazy sparklers that were super long that are made to wave around and do tricks with. These things are a lawsuit waiting to happen but, hey, that's India for ya. Lyndsey was basically a master with these things.
With beautiful Venilla in her Christmas red and green.
Sujatha had some serious dance moves with the sparklers.
The whole gang from afar. It was only through a Christmas miracle that no one burned their feet off or caught anything important on fire.
When the fireworks ended we enjoyed some delicious cake (courtesy of Pam) before heading inside for a little Christmas family home evening. Each of us shared a Christmas thought, song, poem, etc. as well as our favorite Christmas memory. It was so great to hear all the different things that everyone brought. Craig (Jim and Pam's grandson-in-law) read the origins of the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (which can be found here). Pam read a picture book called Sarah's Christmas Star by Kit Poole about a young spirit child in heaven that desperately wants to sing in the choir of heavenly hosts to announce Christ's birth but keeps getting side-tracked from practicing by helping others and Katie read the holiday classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Lyndsey's Christmas share was a song recorded by a Palestinian man that she spent last Christmas with (she was working in Damascus last Christmas and spent Christmas Eve in a Palestinian camp...yeah, she's cool). This is one of the most beautiful renditions on "O Holy Night" I have ever heard:
We ended the night with our thoughts turned to Christ. Jim read from Luke of Christ's birth and my Christmas share was the short LDS film, Joy to the World, which depicts Christ's birth in Bethlehem with accompaniments from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It was a great end to a beautiful evening spent with friends and family here in India.
Will add more tomorrow to document the Christmas Day activities!
Vanakkam
Really great entertainment you have,Good Services I search Trade Printing and Trade Printers . Your blog is well perform to sharing.
ReplyDelete