Skip to main content

X'mas is where Koh Soo Ling is

There are 19 days until Christmas and New Sunday Times contributor Dr Koh Soo Ling is feeling Christmassy!

She knows that successful gatherings need good planning and preparation for her first Christmas in Ireland started early.

In addition to the traditional decorations and tree, she will be introducing Malaysian cuisine on the Christmas table.

I asked her to describe her Irish Christmas "fever" and this is her reply via email.

See below for a new poem from the pen of Soo Ling: Wintry Charm. 

If you are meeting Soo Ling for the first time, read about her here.

"My freezer (Mat Sallehs have this very serious business about having an extra freezer in the shed) is stocked up with Christmas game and frozen food, my windows and two fireplaces are decorated and I'm
expecting two Malaysians to come over and stay during the Christmas season. 

"So I will dish out turkey, cranberry sauce as well as ketupat (bought earlier from Malaysia, so just throw into boiling water), satay sauce (Brahim's) and satay (now this is authentic) except that it has
to be grilled in an oven. 

"I have three in one teh tarik too.

"We will print out carol sheets, Audrey will play the keyboard and we will sit by the fire crooning. Chocolates like Quality Street sweets are very cheap and I've stocked up a few tins to fill up the stockings.

"I like the Christmas celebration here, it is very very warm and even the streets are lighted up.

"As for church, we have quite a number of activities too. One of them is packing toys into shoe boxes for children in Africa and poor countries. 

"Then we also have Christmas hampers (we contribute the goodies) that we leave at the door steps of the needy during Christmas day but we remain anonymous. Just ring the doorbell, leave the hamper
and run."


What an attractive Christmas window display!

A fireplace with X'mas decorations.

The snow on the trees is really pretty.
Meet Michael Howard, Soo Ling's other half.

Soo Ling is looking forward to her first Irish Christmas.

Soo Ling has created a warm and festive atmosphere in her Irish home.

Wintry Charm


When the snow falls
On the icy ground
And the wind calls
A curious sound
It’s a mystery
That every snowflake is unique
And everything flies in a flurry
As we shuffle our feet.

When the snow falls
And the robin goes and hides
Behind the walls
That are frozen and white.
The branches are bare
The leaves brittle and light
In the cold thin air
Through the long dark night.

When the snow falls
Wrapped in warm coats and mittens
We hurriedly open the doors
With our wooden tobaggans
We scoop up some snow
Partially hidden we lie
No weapons, no arrows or bows
Ready to pelt snow balls at passers-by.





Comments

Samuel C said…
Hahahaa thats my mom! LOL
Unknown said…
r u going there?
FAEZAH ISMAIL said…
No, I am not but I would love to. Maybe one day!

Popular Posts

Rumi's gift

You've no idea how hard I've looked for a gift to bring You. Nothing seemed right. What's the point of bringing gold to the gold mine, or water to the Ocean. Everything I came up with was like taking spices to the Orient. It's no good giving my heart and my soul because you already have these. So- I've brought you a mirror. Look at yourself and remember me. Jalaluddin Rumi said it all.   That's her in the mirror. The face is the mirror of the soul.  She sees joy, despair, hope, doubt. This is the end of another year in her life. A time to reflect and express her emotions. Love, forgiveness, healing and trust dominate all kinds of thoughts. She did many things right but she wavered too. Listen to your inner voice. Pressure? Deal with it! Quiet successes inspire her with confidence. Failures provide just the spur she needs. As she looks back on the past year, she is grateful that she got through it. Rumi, thank you for your gift!

Dealing with death of a loved one

Today marks the end of Rabiaa's mourning period. She had completed four months and 10 days or 130 days of grieving, the stipulated period for expressing sorrow for Muslim widows.  The death of her husband on Dec 30, 2020 was expected  but it still came as a huge shock to her. It was too sudden, she felt. Yet  observers would not agree. Her husband became bedridden in mid-November after a collision between his big bike and a car which had come from the opposite direction after taking an illegal turn.  In addition to being bedridden, Anwar, lost his voice which was the direct result of the  brain injury he had suffered after the accident. He was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury. How does Rabiaa feel now? The pain is bearable but the memories remain as vivid as ever. She is still unwilling to clear up all of her husband's things and some items remain in their original positions as before he became bound to the bed. His belongings connect Rabiaa to Anwar and she basks in the w

Young and carefree

The water in this stream, called Sungai Meru near Taman Meru, Ipoh, Perak, looks cool and inviting. These teenagers, who live nearby, often spend the afternoon after school swimming or just splashing around. It is nice to know that in the age of the computer youngsters still enjoy the outdoors.