The celebration of Christmas fellowship in church was quite different from the previous years,  it wasn’t held in the evening of 23rd anymore nor the 24th.  It was held after Sunday service since 23rd day of December fell on Sunday, there was a fellowship lunch but I decided to went home and eat and returned when the Christmas program was about to start.

The Christmas program isn’t meticulous like the previous years where there was Christmas Cantata and presentations, the fellowship today was just simply made of few presentation  from auxiliary organizations (youth and women), games, exchange gifts and raffles and a simple snacks there after.

Honestly, I don’t know what is happening but it seems the old Christmas tradition in the church is slowly fading and changing.  When I am still a kid, I remember there was role playing in church and I have even joined a Christmas concert back then when I really don’t know how to sing, and it was the last time I have joined group singing because when I went to back into my chair feeling happy after performing with the other kids, an aunt blurted out that I sing too loud when I am out of tune (lol).

It is Christmas day again soon, the entire theme for the month was God’s Greatest Gift. The Christmas fellowship was celebrated on the 22nd with mini-concert from the young people, they sing, play ukelele and do interpretative dance.  After which was exchange gift, the kids do it first then adults, contrary to the norms you have to go upfront and seek for the person (your monito/monita) you picked from the Christmas draw a week before the fellowship, it was a bit hard because everyone uses aliases. You have until three tries to guess the right person, if you are not able to do it right you have to pay a fine.

It was quite entertaining and funny guessing, everyone had a good laugh.  When the adults finishes their exchange gifts the young people follows where I have joined as well, the process is a bit different you have described your monito/monita.

And as expected, I was told that it was hard for the young people who got my name to choose what gift she should be given to me, there was also a raffle draw.

There was a Christmas Cantata and exchange gift party last night at church, the cantata started early and wasn’t able to watch it from the start since we went to town to buy some stuff. It wasn’t that exciting anyway since it was just the same as last year, the young people sung the same song. The exchange gift party was done after the raffle draw where I bought few tickets and didn’t win even a minor prize.  I received colorful food container from the exchange gift party, it turns out my cousin’s wife picked my name during the raffle of names for exchange gift party.

Today is Sunday and it is Christmas day, most of the people in church were wearing red and the kids are feeling festive. Pastor E’s topic for today is part of the series of “Experience the Miracle of Christmas” which is The Miracle of the Method – from the scriptural verse of Romans 11:33.

Pastor E talks about how God’s method transcend us, His greatness beyond measure and beyond human understanding. He added that God’s method include each one of us, He uses ordinary people to accomplish extra-ordinary things and God’s method sanctify us, God is at work in our lives in ways that we do not and cannot fully comprehend.

After the church service, Pastor E told everyone not to leave since there will be a gifts to be given. The kids were given bag of goodies that consists wafers, biscuits and chocolates. When all of the kids got theirs, Pastor E called the young people to get their goodies I immediately run upfront while calling the attention of my younger cousin who is set to marry in a few days, she was in hesitation maybe because we are too old for the bag of goodies but with an older cousin pushing her upfront she followed me. When I returned, my cousin told me that some people voice out if I am  still a young people because as what they knew I am not anymore and I am already married, so I replied while laughing that the bags of goodies are for my younger sister who’s a member of the young people, she went home ahead because she needs to reheat something.

We prepared a little food to eat on Christmas day so some of of our relatives went to our home after the church service, they didn’t stay longer but I have enjoyed their company that I wasn’t able to feel Christmas blue making this Christmas a bit better than last year, especially with my little cousins visiting.

Well, since my personal photos were stolen from my dead travel blog and posted to other people’s website I started to blur photos with people in them for privacy reason.

Christmas is the season of giving and the season of peace, last night the church held a Christmas Cantata participated by the kids and young people members. They’ve sang a handful of songs, and the adult female church members also shared their talent through singing after the cantata was fellowship and games but since it is getting late the kids are already exhausted so they only lasts after two games, there’s also group games for the adult and then raffle draws. I have bought 4 tickets for the raffle draw, a classmate and friend told me who’s one of the facilitator of the event told me to buy more tickets which replied I am only poor being and I can’t afford to buy lots of tickets, it was unlike her she can afford it, she is the kids Santa Claus this Christmas because she handed a handful of gifts and toys among the kids to share her blessings after the cantata.

And when the fellowship ended, exchanged gift takes place it started from kids to youth and to adults. I have joined adult exchange gift since I can’t be considered as young people anymore. I have been wondering who got my name but it turns out it was my older cousin L, she have told me it took her long time to decide what things she should wrap since it seems I have complete stuff at home, well she ended up wrapping a food container and after the exchange gift is snack time, every zone members contributed for it.

The theme this Christmas is “There’s a miracle in Christmas” and what I need is truly a miracle. The Christmas celebration in the church last year wasn’t like this, they’ve only held singing competition and exchange gifts after the service. Although last year, I didn’t attend the service I have went inside the church for a few minutes, well it wasn’t really inside because I didn’t go far from the church door like I was ready to run any minute when caught loitering around, actually I felt so embarrassed during those time since I have never went inside the church since I came home.

Anyway, I have noticed inside the church that everyone is wearing bright colors clothes in red, green, yellow and blue, it  seems it was only me wearing a black clothes huh? 🙁