A different Christmas Eve.

On Christmas day, 2013.

小tz: "Mummy, I hide your Christmas present. You will not be able to find your present." 

yt: "Can I vacuum the floor first before I find my present?"

小tz: "Can mummy, but don't vacuum under the sofa please."

yt: "... ... ..."

me: "Hahaha... ... ..."

小tz: "Mummy, daddy is so naughty. We keep his present and give it to him on next Christmas, only if he is good then. Ok?"

me: "... ... ..." 

The night before we had a very different Christmas Eve. 

When I was young, I only got to celebrate Chinese New Year. Christmas Eve and Christmas day to me was just another day.

Fun on Christmas Eve started when I got my first pay. BBQ at the beach, attending friends Christmas party, countdown at pub and disco. Then, with the arrival of 小tz, Christmas Eve mostly started with a simple dinner and a night out to Esplanade Outdoor Theatre.

This Christmas Eve, we had it in a different way. I brought yt and 小tz to attend a Christmas Eve BBQ celebration with a group of adults with intellectual disability at SAF Changi Seaview Resort. The intention is to expose 小tz to others who are less fortunate, and understand how fortunate she is when compared to their limited choices and restrictive lifestyle in an institution. I am also hoping to build up her compassion and empathy for others.

I think I did not succeed.

Talking to her on Christmas day, the first thing she recalled was how happy she was when we allowed her to barbecue her own food at the BBQ pit. Anyway, that must be an entire new experience to her. #Fainted#

Fortunately, relating the life of people staying in an institution, she did understand how fortunate she is and insisted that she doesn't want to stay in an institution. That's 50% success rate for my intention, I hope.