Christmas is about deeply held traditions, from the lighting of Advent candles to attending midnight mass, giving alms, grand tree-lighting ceremonies and inter-generational bake-outs. With many wanting to put their own spin on celebrations, the season is also marked by novelties: turkey with buah keluak or gula melaka and coconut candy canes, anyone? Or how about adorning your door with a wreath of golden orchids this year? Melissa Gail Sing discovers the traditions and twists in society homes that make Christmas a most colourful and special time of year.

Celeste Basapa

Celeste and Lawrence Basapa

A familiar face on the fundraising circuit who always has a charity project or two up her sleeves, Celeste considers Christmas her favourite time in the Liturgical calendar as “it’s a time of hope and good tidings”. Clearly one who takes the season seriously, she politely declines invitations to parties two weeks before Christmas. That’s when she’ll be knee-deep in Christmas plans and preparing her traditional Christmas dinner. “Yup, it takes that long!” she quips.

You know Christmas is coming when… I see Orchard Road all decked out! On a spiritual level—and this is the more important aspect for me—I know Christmas is approaching when Advent candles are displayed.

My best-loved Christmas tradition is… attending mass on Christmas Eve followed by having supper with my family complete with Christmas carols.

My top Christmas Rule that must never be broken is: Christmas Eve mass, followed by supper and carols; and opening gifts on Christmas morning!

If I had to put a twist to my Christmas celebrations, I’d open my gifts on Christmas Eve! Lawrence, for as long as we've been married, has always bought me a surprise gift which he's as anxious for me to unwrap soonest! Much to his chagrin, however, I'll wait for Christmas morning!

Last Christmas, I unwrapped my presents on Christmas morning. This year, I'll do the same; and I'll be praying for peace in the world so that we may all continue with our traditions. Joy to the world and peace to all is my Christmas wish for everyone!

Kelly Randall Sia

Kelly Randall Sia, and her family

Currently in the pre-production stage for her upcoming television cooking show, Haute & Saucy, which she will be hosting, Kelly’s favourite holiday movie is the classic It's a Wonderful Life. The message there, she says, is that we all have a Guardian Angel, and it's not money that makes one rich. 

My best-loved Christmas tradition is… our family dinner. My immediate family and I will have dinner together at home if we're not travelling. I've kept this tradition for as long as I can remember. In the days leading up to Christmas, I'll entertain guests—friends as well as family—at home for a festive celebration. At least one party will be a potluck. But either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, it's purely family time.

One thing I’ll be doing different this Christmas is… trying out new recipes for my turkey and sides dishes. Each year, I change up the ingredients I use to season my turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. Last year, I gave my turkey Indonesian flavours with ingredients such as star anise, cinnamon, cardamom and sweet dark soy. It was done babi kicap style. For the stuffing, I had duck meat with foie gras terrine, while the cranberry sauce had figs, orange zest and Grand Marnier. 

This year I'll be trying a rum and coke version for my turkey. I'll use Irish sausage and root vegetables for the stuffing and yuzu and umeshu for the cranberry sauce. These sides will be an ode to my Irish/Japanese heritage. 

My top Christmas Rule that must never be broken is: Be thankful for the life I've been given and live life more abundantly! I like to remember all the good things that happened in the year past that I'm thankful for, and share it with friends as a testimony of God's love, goodness and faithfulness. And I enjoy hearing their testimonies of blessings in return. 

I like to put a twist to my Christmas celebrations… by coming up with a gift that doesn't cost anything. I choose edifying scriptures from the Bible, have them printed out on a small piece of paper, roll it into a scroll and tie a pretty ribbon around it. This is a good way to give a word of encouragement and lift someone's spirit, without giving them the pressure of having to return a store-bought gift.

Last Christmas, I was in Cyprus getting pampered with the royal treatment in a hotel spa. This year, I'll be in Switzerland enjoying Michelin star restaurants, I hope!

Linda Soo-Tan

Linda Soo-Tan, with daughter Zeena

An active member of the Ikebana Singapore Chapter, Linda regularly participates in exhibitions and also attends ikebana regional conferences. For this board member of the charity Food From The Heart, Christmas songs by Jim Reeves never fail to warm the heart. What she looks forward to every time the season comes around is the excitement of Christmas shopping, preparing for parties, and meeting friends to celebrate the occasion and strengthen the ties between them.

I know Christmas is coming when... I hear Christmas jingles as I walk into shopping centres or supermarkets, and when I see Christmas decorations being installed along Orchard Road.

My best-loved Christmas tradition is… putting up the Christmas decorations for the tree and around my house.

One thing I’ll be doing different this Christmas is… eating out instead of having a home-cooked meal at home.

My top Christmas Rule that must never be broken is: Always have Christmas presents handy, not just for family members, relatives and friends, but also for any visitor who happens to drop by.

I like to put a twist to my Christmas celebrations by…  following the colour scheme of decorations along Orchard Road. I’ll ask my good friend Thomas Lim to help source for the new items available in his shop that closely align with the scheme.

Last Christmas, I had a shorter Christmas tree, a fresh noble fir. This year, I am getting a much taller one, but it still must be noble fir because I love being greeted by the scent of pine when I go downstairs in the mornings.

Shuyi Liok

Shuyi with husband Justin Liok

Back from her round-the-world honeymoon with her husband Justin Liok not too long ago, Shuyi says that while they miss the nomadic freedom and exciting adventures, nothing compares to being in the loving company of family and friends here. For her, Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and with her birthday and wedding anniversary falling in the same month, it’s always an extra special time. “I’m looking forward to the festivitie but definitely dreading stepping on the scales after!” she says.

My favourite holiday movie is… Home Alone. It’s a timeless classic for all ages! I still get tickled pink watching the bumbling thieves fall for the booby traps Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin’s character) sets up, and I still cry when Kevin is finally reunited with his mother.

I know Christmas is coming when… the Orchard Road Christmas lights come on—it is such a pretty starry winter wonderland backdrop in our sunny Singapore—and when the smell of fresh pine fills the air as we dress our home up for Christmas.

My best-loved Christmas tradition is… cooking at our family’s annual Christmas potluck. It is fun yet stressful, knowing that my dish will be tasted by some of the most discerning Nyonya taste buds in Singapore! The family also makes it a point to donate our used clothes and toys annually. Last year, we donated toys and school supplies to impoverished children in the Peruvian Amazonian villages. Seeing their faces light up was priceless; it was a humbling and emotional experience. 

My top Christmas Rule that must never be broken is: Remember that Christmas is, above all, a celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. We won’t be doing anything different this Christmas—it is a holy and cherished family tradition.

I like to put a twist to my Christmas celebrations by… My girlfriends and I have a themed Christmas party each year. We had a Hello Kitty themed party the year before, which was a great excuse to be girlie eight-year-olds again, and we got our other halves to come in matching blue Dear Daniel outfits!

Last Christmas, Justin and I were exploring Mayan ruins in Central America. This year, we will be spending Christmas with our families in Australia. By next Christmas, we hope we will be blessed with our own bundle of joy!