A gathering was organised for Aricia's darling - Aunty Ros and her classmates and a new friend, Mel. Athena's friends - Jachelle and Wei Teng (all 3 skipped school)
This was planned at last minute, 10 days prior to be exact. Which can make me very very very kan-cheong. I hate to do things last minute. As to what Mel puts it, I was able to put everything together in such short notice. I felt she was just being courteous and tactful. It wasn't a good job done.
Thanks to everyone who RSVP-ed within such short notice. I was able to draw lots for the gift exchanges. Budget $15 per household, which is little to me (and can't really buy anything) but I'm not sure if people would mind if I upped the price so kept it as it is.
Theme - Precious Moments. But it's not obvious enough given that I didn't paste that cuties' faces all over my house. I didn't have time to decorate the house.
Food - I wanted to order catering. But with the minimum number of pax required (15), it was far too large for my gathering. Although I always claim it's always good to have more than less, we always end up either forcing people to help to tah-pao back or throw the food away (we do keep for the next day's meal but some food can't be kept that long. And to have the same meal for 2 consecutive days can make one real S-I-C-K). And this time round I only had like 10 adults. Kids don't eat much + the buffer amount they give. It's going to be alot of wastage. In the end, food was mainly easy food that can be done at home.
It took me one trip down to Carrefour to do major shopping. It was really MAJOR! Heavy like crazy, worried if the lao-pok-car will stall or topple one side. Looking for places to order festive food & cake. In the end I had to settle with NTUC coz' it's the nearest place I could pick up from. Cold Storage don't offer what I really wanted. Carrefour is obviously out of the question.
Cake - been wanting to try to make one log cake myself. I even bought the Christmas sugar dolls! But I didn't have time to experiment the size of the cake with that small tray I have. (why small.. coz' my oven's small) so in the end, I decided to order. When I was out in the malls, I started collecting those pamplets and was so tempted with Gelare and Haagen Daz but it means I had to go all the way to Hougang/Tampines (nearest outlet) to collect it. Not that I'm making up excuses for myself, but to handle everything on my own and an extra time needed for 'just in case glitches' on the actual day morning, I think it's going to be very tiring for me to do everything by myself.
Prepared a small candy bag for the children. All at last minute after I had finished packing the other goodie bags for Athena's and Aricia's classmates + presents. So it was starting all over again for me.
Tried making the Precious Moments chocolates with the mould, but didn't turn out well so I gave up the idea. + it's going to melt in our weather (I still wonder how is it those shops' moulded chocolates don't melt)
This was planned at last minute, 10 days prior to be exact. Which can make me very very very kan-cheong. I hate to do things last minute. As to what Mel puts it, I was able to put everything together in such short notice. I felt she was just being courteous and tactful. It wasn't a good job done.
Thanks to everyone who RSVP-ed within such short notice. I was able to draw lots for the gift exchanges. Budget $15 per household, which is little to me (and can't really buy anything) but I'm not sure if people would mind if I upped the price so kept it as it is.
Theme - Precious Moments. But it's not obvious enough given that I didn't paste that cuties' faces all over my house. I didn't have time to decorate the house.
Food - I wanted to order catering. But with the minimum number of pax required (15), it was far too large for my gathering. Although I always claim it's always good to have more than less, we always end up either forcing people to help to tah-pao back or throw the food away (we do keep for the next day's meal but some food can't be kept that long. And to have the same meal for 2 consecutive days can make one real S-I-C-K). And this time round I only had like 10 adults. Kids don't eat much + the buffer amount they give. It's going to be alot of wastage. In the end, food was mainly easy food that can be done at home.
It took me one trip down to Carrefour to do major shopping. It was really MAJOR! Heavy like crazy, worried if the lao-pok-car will stall or topple one side. Looking for places to order festive food & cake. In the end I had to settle with NTUC coz' it's the nearest place I could pick up from. Cold Storage don't offer what I really wanted. Carrefour is obviously out of the question.
Cake - been wanting to try to make one log cake myself. I even bought the Christmas sugar dolls! But I didn't have time to experiment the size of the cake with that small tray I have. (why small.. coz' my oven's small) so in the end, I decided to order. When I was out in the malls, I started collecting those pamplets and was so tempted with Gelare and Haagen Daz but it means I had to go all the way to Hougang/Tampines (nearest outlet) to collect it. Not that I'm making up excuses for myself, but to handle everything on my own and an extra time needed for 'just in case glitches' on the actual day morning, I think it's going to be very tiring for me to do everything by myself.
Prepared a small candy bag for the children. All at last minute after I had finished packing the other goodie bags for Athena's and Aricia's classmates + presents. So it was starting all over again for me.
Tried making the Precious Moments chocolates with the mould, but didn't turn out well so I gave up the idea. + it's going to melt in our weather (I still wonder how is it those shops' moulded chocolates don't melt)
Then I remembered I needed to get some small gifts for the children. I can't be doing another major shopping around looking for gifts for every individual kids - I had been doing that and was just recuperating from wrecking my brains.So the easiest way is to get similiar gifts. Don't feel sincere huh?
I swear - the SA was following me all the time thinking that I'm a shoplifter. Coz' I kept holding on to some things, walking here and there, squat at one corner, looking at every inch and corner of the shelf, put them back, take another etc....
Then I found this perfect gift! A photo frame. All I needed to do was to separate what's for boys and girls.
For the girls
For the boys
The SA must think I must be planning for birthday party. Almost $100 worth of similiar things. Small gifts was bought for the families too. And I mean real small, I didn't know what to get - really! Box of biscuits (something sinful) or marmalade (something sweet to end the year) or tea (something healthy to end this year -with all the feasting we have) I should think everyone would drink the tea right? So it's small but carefully thought of. When I looked at the size of the box, I was wondering if I should get something else to make it look big, by then I was already brain exhausted. ( I had spent almost 5 hours jostling with the crowds in Orchard). So I stopped at that and thought probably my friends don't mind, and what's more important is that the children sees their mummy/daddy holding onto their present and it's smaller than theirs. Haha! Sorry if I have this mentality... coz' Athena is always comparing the present size
Oh my goash! I've never wrapped so many gifts before in one Christmas. Very tiring! I could have passed it to the gift wrapping counters to do the job, but many a times I see horrible wrapping. So far, the only place which does nice wrapping is Robinsons.22nd Dec :
Suddenly remembered I was suppose to bake. I baked on one day and did the decorations on another day. But in the end, I realise the cookies were too little. I was too tired to bake another 2 more batches + trying to decorate with the kids interrupting me. I gave up!
I was trying to emulate Mel. I did both shortbread and gingerbread. It's like not enough to go around so did this for decoration purposes.
Ta-da! The Christmas tree. BTW, I didn't do the white star, so happened I have this from the Marriott bakery.
As you can see, it's going to be real tiring for me to bake more cookies. I was already tired with this batch. They were eventually enjoyed by my children and KZ. 
24th Dec
Hubby as usual went to PP for his breakfast, so I sent him to collect the things on my behalf. Festive goodies (chicken and pork ribs) from NTUC and cake from Prima Deli. While I decorate the table and prepare the chocolate fondue - first time using it since I bought it a month back.
Mom was suppose to come at 10+ to fry the fried rice for us. She had told me to cook 3 cups of rice the night before, I don't really know how to do estimation so I thought 3 1/2 should be sufficient. However on the day itself, after mom fried the rice, it did seem little. In the end, she came so late 11+and I thought she probably changed her mind and cooked from home but no...... we ended up jostling for space in the kitchen when hubby came back with the stuffs.
Rather embarrassing that the table was not even fully set up by 12pm.
Menu :
1) Fried Rice
2) Mee Siam
3) Achar
4) Fishballs/Sotongballs
5) Samosa/Spring rolls
6) Chicken
7) Honey glazed / Black pepper pork ribs
8) Chocolate fountain (apricots, strawberries, biscuit sticks, biscuits, marshmallows,bananas) A failure with the bananas though, we tried to salt the bananas to prevent them from yellowing but they still did. Hmm... how did those hotels do it?
9) Log cake
10) eclairs/ fruit tartlets
Hope I didn't starve my guests. Thanks too, to Ros, who kindly helped me with the chicken & stuffing. See lah! hao-lian want to do Xmas party also never do chicken before. Like an expert, she was stuffing and fidling with my oven ( I never even pressed that grilling button before) and the food came out all so nice. Was hoping that she was wearing a huge carat diamond ring... and then while stuffing.. she dropped the ring inside the chicken. Would have been my sparkliest and brightest Christmas ever! *evil laughter*
Mom was suppose to come at 10+ to fry the fried rice for us. She had told me to cook 3 cups of rice the night before, I don't really know how to do estimation so I thought 3 1/2 should be sufficient. However on the day itself, after mom fried the rice, it did seem little. In the end, she came so late 11+and I thought she probably changed her mind and cooked from home but no...... we ended up jostling for space in the kitchen when hubby came back with the stuffs.
Rather embarrassing that the table was not even fully set up by 12pm.
Menu :
1) Fried Rice
2) Mee Siam
3) Achar
4) Fishballs/Sotongballs
5) Samosa/Spring rolls
6) Chicken
7) Honey glazed / Black pepper pork ribs
8) Chocolate fountain (apricots, strawberries, biscuit sticks, biscuits, marshmallows,bananas) A failure with the bananas though, we tried to salt the bananas to prevent them from yellowing but they still did. Hmm... how did those hotels do it?
9) Log cake
10) eclairs/ fruit tartlets
Hope I didn't starve my guests. Thanks too, to Ros, who kindly helped me with the chicken & stuffing. See lah! hao-lian want to do Xmas party also never do chicken before. Like an expert, she was stuffing and fidling with my oven ( I never even pressed that grilling button before) and the food came out all so nice. Was hoping that she was wearing a huge carat diamond ring... and then while stuffing.. she dropped the ring inside the chicken. Would have been my sparkliest and brightest Christmas ever! *evil laughter*
Chocolate fountain, a definite hit with children.
The children played amongst themselves, I tried to play host to everyone but somehow can't seem to chat with everyone. My apologies!
Behold! An angel of the Lord came
Thanks to A too, who came with her dou-hua. Very smooth, very sedap! Definitely a hit with everyone. 
Gift exchange
S had to leave, she's going to have a party in her own home with cell group so needs to set up. So nice of her to drop by despite her tight schedule. 
Enjoy the photos >>
Argh! I've been taken advantage of!
Pretending to coax me, but in actual fact was still taking advantage of me.
My recipients : Chez and Jez the lovable twins.
A group photo
Party ended at 3+, M stayed back for a chat. Must admit I do like parties, but most of the time I end up feeling guilty not being able to play host with everyone. So I was glad that we could really chat while the children played.Tidied up the place thereafter. And .......guess what! I forgot to give MH, J and WT their presents (which was partially hidden by the tree). Argh! So paiseh...
Another party tomorrow. Last few days for me to feast before my diet plan comes in.
It was a great party- wah, you did so much prep!
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