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MEMORIES OF XMAS PAST
Sunday Star , Dec 25, 2005
CHRISTMAS is a time to be spent with family and friends. No matter how young or old we are, family is the one thing most of us treasure the most. It is no surprise then that the old folks we spoke to all mention time spent with family as their most treasured memories of this festive occasion.
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Sally Laorr: 'My wish is that God does not keep me here too long.' |
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Sally Laorr, 86, has been at Sri Seronok Retirement Village for two years.
“I am sad and happy when I remember past Christmases. I remember my family and my husband who are all no longer with me. When my husband was alive we used to celebrate every year by calling friends over for a party. We would have all sorts of food – Chinese, rendang, roast chicken, fried prawns, steamboat. It was nice to be surrounded by my friends and to have my husband with me. I was happy when he was happy. It’s been 13 years since his passing.
“Now my children are far away in Canada. They have their own families and it costs too much to come here and I too don’t have enough money to go see them.
“This year, my wish is that God does not keep me here too long. I also wish that my children and grandchildren have a good and easy life.”
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Robert Kum and Loretta Loke: 'We would like to celebrate like we are a big happy family.' |
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Robert Kum, 77, and Loretta Loke, 76, have been at the Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, for the past five months.
“Those days when we were young we used to host Christmas parties every year. All our relatives and friends would come over. We would cherish the Christmas spirit together. We would decorate the house. We would buy a lot of presents for our two children. Those days we could spend quite lavishly on Christmas. After all Christmas comes only once a year. We always used to make a go of it – enjoy ourselves, let our hair down, behave like children sometimes.
“This is our first Christmas at this home. So far, we are pretty happy; the sisters are very kind. We had some earlier parties (here) and we enjoyed ourselves and we look forward to enjoying the true Christmas spirit in a home like this among the older generation. We would like to enjoy ourselves and celebrate like we are a big happy family.”
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Sybil Clutton: 'My Christmas wish is that I will be able to stand and walk.' |
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Sybil Marie Clutton, 79, from Kuala Lumpur, has been at Sunshine Home, Petaling Jaya for 16 months.
“My favourite memories of Christmas are the times when I was celebrating with my husband and family. Every year we used to go for functions and play Christmas records with all kinds of carols.
“When I hear Christmas carols it brings back memories of those days. My husband Stanley passed away 10 years ago but I still miss him a lot. I’d bake cakes and he’d help me. After that we’d clean up the whole house, put up the curtains, clean up the garden and put the (flower) pots in their proper places.I miss all that.
“My Christmas wish this year is that I will be able to stand and walk. I have a sore under my foot. It’s been more than a month already. That’s the reason why I am unable to stand.”
Eva Agnes Pereira, 76, from Kuala Lumpur, has been staying at Sunshine Home, Petaling Jaya, for a year.
“My fondest memory is just going to church and remembering our Lord with my family. We used to eat, then go for midnight mass and when we came back we would have dinner. The next day we would visit relatives. I’m not a very good cook, but I used to cook roast chicken, devil curry and cakes.
“My husband passed away 12 years ago. My wish this Christmas is that I will be back home with my son for Christmas, and also to have good health.”
Fong T.B, 50s, has been a resident at Sri Seronok Retirement Village for the past two years.
“I like everything about Christmas. My favourite Christmas was when I joined my daughter in Melbourne, Australia.
“We celebrated and had a party with her fiancé and his family. I cooked curry and mee siam. Some of our friends brought food and others brought wine.
“This Christmas I wish I could go on a cruise because I like to meet people. Perhaps a cruise to Japan – I have not been there before.”
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Rachel Emuang: 'I miss the family even after all these years.' |
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Rachel Emuang, 78, from Penang, has been at the Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, for one year.
“My fondest memories of Christmas are of the times when I was younger and when my parents were still alive. There were six of us children. We were a big but close-knit family. All my sisters are gone. I am not married. I have no one except my brother and his family in Penang and he’s not well too.
“This is my first Christmas away from Penang and all my friends there. It’s not different here in KL, but I miss the family even after all these years. It’s only at this time that we miss everyone the most.
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Phang Kin Shin: 'I wish that all my grandchildren prosper.' |
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Phang Kin Shin, 83, from Petaling Jaya, has been staying at Sunshine Home for a few months.
“I’m a Catholic, so Christmas is really the best time of the year for me because it’s my celebration.There’s nothing in particular that we used to do but it’s really an occasion for me. I must go to church; that’s the most important thing.
“My wish for Christmas? To tell you frankly, I don’t wish to live too long. I’m already old enough. Too old … what for? I think my age is good enough for me.
“If I had one wish I would wish that all my grandchildren prosper.”
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Annie Low: 'To be with my family brings me great happiness and that is my wish come true.' |
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Annie Low, 83, has been a resident at Sri Seronok Retirement Village for more than three years.
“When my husband was alive we were together and so happy at Christmas. We would celebrate the occasion and go for mass. After he passed away, I was with my children in England, but I found the climate there too cold so I came back to Malaysia.
“My fondest memories are with my family. We used to go for midnight mass and then come back and have dinner, sing carols and talk. We used to decorate the whole house with lights too.
“This Christmas I am very happy because my daughter has come down to Malaysia and we will be spending Christmas together. To be with my family brings me great happiness and that is my wish come true. We old people don’t think of other things except our children and grandchildren!"
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Larry and Doreen Alvins: 'Last year was the best Christmas because everyone was there.' |
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Doreen and Larry Alvins, 76 and 82 respectively, have been at the Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, for the past two months.
“Our fondest memories are those with family. Every year, we would celebrate with the family. We used to have a lovely Christmas tree and everyone looked forward to that. It was a big tree, then we shifted house and got a smaller one. But the presents were always all around the tree for our children and grandchildren.
“The celebrations would start with midnight mass. After that the whole family would come over to our place. We would have wine and cakes and things like that, and we’d open our presents. This would last until two or 3am. On Christmas day, everyone, including my brothers and their wives, would come over to our place and they would be there from morning till evening.
“Last year was the best Christmas for us because everyone was there. My brother (says Doreen) who was very close to us was there. He was a special brother and he spent a beautiful day with us. He was very close to me. I didn’t think the Lord was going to take him away after that Christmas. It was the last Christmas for the whole family together. It was very special and we were all very, very happy. This year we are here and we will only be going back with the family for one day. Not all the family can be with us this year, some are overseas.
“If I had a wish it would be to have my family together. But you can’t have everything. We are happy here, but it is nice to be with the whole family."
Copyright Star Publications (M) Bhd
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