Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Christmas, the Most Wonderful Time of the Year



It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year is a popular Christmas song written in 1963 by Eddie Pola and George Wyle. It was recorded and released that year by pop singer Andy Williams or his first Christmas album, The Andy Williams Christmas Album.




BUT according to a Psychology Today article, some 45% of us are not thinking it is the most wonderful time of the year, as the old Andy Williams song goes. Sadly, to some people the “most wonderful time of the year” has become the most stressful time of the year due to over commercialization of the Christmas holiday.


Whether or not you are religious, Christmas is a beautiful time meant to be enjoyed by everyone. Let’s try to focus on the original message of Christmas: love and joy – things we all strive for – by appreciating the most important aspect of Christmas, which is time spent with our loved ones. I believe that the things that matter most are things that money cannot buy.


Every country and culture across the world has its own way of celebrating Christmas. One factor that unites Christmas celebrations everywhere is that they are undoubtedly a family affair


How about Christmas in my country?


Though we live in a part of the world that doesn’t see snow, located far from Santa’s radar where the majority of the population would find trees in the living room illogical, Christmas remains one of the the most sought after holidays in Indonesia.






Christmas trees adorned with decorations and even fake snow have been erected, and Santa Clauses appear in many shopping malls in the city presenting a Christmas ambiance.




Similar to other countries, what makes Christmas a special celebration in my country is its focus on family and togetherness. Spend time with the entire family in the kitchen surely will be a wonderful time. It certainly does not matter how big, small, fancy or not, the kitchen is. As long as it is filled with love, it will draw our loved ones in.


Kitchen is the LOVE center of any home


The kitchen is the perfect place for making memories. When we spend time cooking and enjoying meals with our family, we create happy memories that will be cherished forever.





You are lucky if you can cook the best Christmas meals with every member of the family sitting at the dining table for a memorable dinner.


The benefits of preparing and enjoying food as a family are clear. We save money and eat healthier meals. We create opportunities to connect and communicate with our family. And most importantly, we show love for our family when we spend time cooking and eating with them.


Christmas is all about nostalgia and memories. Many of us have traditions that go back years, if not generations. What foods must be on the table every single year? No matter where you live or how old you are, Christmas from your childhood have a special glow about them. And food always plays a part in these memories.


It’s important to have your own family traditions. A tradition doesn’t have to be fancy, complicated or expensive; it just has to be memorable. That’s what the holidays are all about


Here are traditional Christmas foods in my country:


Pork satay





Brenebon (Red kidney bean soup with garlic and ribs)





Layer Cake





Klapertart





Kaastengel





Nanas Tart


Get together with our loved ones with such delicious traditional Christmas foods on the table, surely we will agree with Andy Williams that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year.







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