Christmas is just two days away and I thought I pen my thoughts on the good days of the 1960s. As a child Christmas was a time to enjoy some goodies, cakes and cookies but no presents. We were poor and besides we don't observe Christmas as we weren't Christians then. However, I would visit my neighbour's home just 100 metres away and soak in their festivities, and gawked at their lighted up and decorated Christmas tree. It would take the place of pride in the living room, and people would come and go wishing each other Merry Christmas. As I grew up in my teens I got to know Christmas as a time for merrymaking, playing guitar, making a few dollars performing at house parties and enjoying myself as such. My first big party after leaving school was to attend one gathering held at Shell House then in Collyer Quay. There was "live" music and I was there with my schoolmate and also my neighbourhood guys.
Later on in my 20s we would go to parties and nightclubs. Bookings had to be made in advance if you want to get a seat - and we would go in group of 10s or more couples. It was enjoyable and memorable. I recalled on Xmas Day morning as I was climbing up the stairs to get home at 6am and my mum and sister were leaving the house for the morning mass! Gosh...it was really getting caught crawling into bed well after bedtime!
One Xmas eve I remembered as I was trying to take a nap before the big evening of merrymaking. I chanced to turn the newspaper and read about a classmate who had committed suicide. It was shocking and I jumped out of the sofa. Couldn't sleep after reading that report as I tried to analyse why did she take her own life.
Raffles Place was the place to be for carolling. Church groups would perform on top of what was once a covered underground car park - the first in Singapore, flanked on one side by buildings housing the Robinson's department store and the Oriental Emporium.
Subsequent years Xmas became more subdued especially after I started a family. The gatherings were at friends' homes but there was exchanges of gifts, including giving to the children. It's been the same all these years, but I will still always enjoy Christmas more so now as a Catholic. The masses were great and so were the hymns. Merry Christmas!
