Christmas in Singapore

As expected, Christmas decorations in Singapore are simply grand. Amazing. Excessive. 

No cheap and understated choices have been made anywhere in the city. Christmas carols have been playing in the shops since mid-October. Jingle bells? Ok. Have yourself a merry little xmas.... sure, we'll do our best. Let it snow? Well that's not likely now, is it. 

Frosted Christmas trees, toadstool forests, life-sized ginger bread men, have decorated Shopping Malls and given spots for thousands of selfies to the Orchard Road and Tanglin Mall visitors. Abundance is the only word that comes to mind to describe this feast of commercial adverts.

But there is no real Christmas feeling or atmosphere. And I am not talking from a religious point of view, as I wouldn’t know what has been going on in the various Churches. I am talking from an excitement point of view. The commercial side of Singapore is truly astounding. The number of people shopping at the weekends completely obliterate any desire to be out there. It's even driven Marco to prefer to sit by the pool. But it lacks a little bit of soul, of genuineness. What's missing..... cold dark evenings accompanying the last working days before the break. Anticipation as we get closer and closer to parties. Knowing we will soon be spending time with family and friends, eating sweets, playing games, exchanging presents. We have that in flashes; last weekend I wrapped presents, getting ready for our trip to Europe. Our anticipation will be condensed and concentrated into a trip to the airport and our flights to Norway and Italy.

But right now for us there is a certain calm. 

Our colleagues will take a long weekend. For them xmas will be over quickly. The new year, the one we are used to, will pass. And then we will build to the real main winter event - Chinese new year.