my first ever Christmas tree!!!

Christmas was never a big thing in my life, naturally so because I'm not a Christian, but three years in the UK I really am enjoying the mood and atmosphere the season always brings year in year out.

In many ways (religious perspectives aside), Christmas is a lot similar to Eid in which both are about being with family and friends, spending times after together after not seeing each other for a very long time, seeking forgiveness and mending burnt bridges, enjoying good meal together, and exchanging gifts and presents.

In my first year, I just couldn't be bothered with Christmas. Back then, all I cared about was the whole post-Christmas sale following it. In my second year, a couple of friends and I decided to sort of celebrate Christmas by playing secret santa and having a huge dinner together where we have roast chicken and potatoes and the likes just to get in the mood. This year, we decided to go a lil' further by getting our own Christmas tree.

One of my favourite thing to do during Eid time is lighting the 'pelita' or oil lamps all around the house. It gives me great pleasure to see the flames (tiny one) dancing on the wicks around the house. It really puts me into the festive mood of Eid. I guess putting up a Christmas tree with the lights would be the Christmas equivalent of the oil lamps/pelita so I was really excited that we decided to get our own tree. It was my first time decorating my very first Christmas tree in my entire life!!!

looked a lil' daunting out of the box...



workin out the branches to give the tree the right shape...





started to decorate with garlands and bells...Java at the back trying to be the Grinch!



putting up the baubles and stars



with the lights



Java and me behind our Christmas tree =)

And that's my first ever Christmas tree. Childish as this might sound, I had a great pleasure putting it up with, hanging all the garlands and baubles and bell and stars all around the tree as we sang to Christmas carols and songs, especially when it was snowing outside. It really put me right into the Christmas mood!!

Here's one of the song we sang called O Christmas Tree. It is a German traditional Christmas song but this version has been given a modern twist sang by Mr Schue aka Matthew Morrison of Glee =)



O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure do you bring me!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure do you bring me!

For every year the Christmas tree,
Brings to us all both joy and glee.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure do you bring me!