Sep 1, 2007

Gifts from the heart

My sister will turn 50 years next Wednesday, 5th September. The family decided to host a party for her today. My sister lived a simple life as a child. She never had presents or gifts. Or been to expensive places to dine. When she got married, she went to Hong Kong for her honeymoon just to save money. She wanted to go to faraway lands like Paris or USA but never got the chance.

She is 6 years my senior(okay, now you know how young I am!). I remembered our first Christmas together. We were still staying in that tiny 3 room flat at Circuit Road at Macpherson estate. I was still a kid back then. I think I was only 4 ot 5 years old. My sister would scrimp and save all her pocket money from school and bought some sugared peanuts, a handful of sweets and we lit one candle to celebrate our first Christmas together.

Then she taught me to sing a Christmas song. And that was "We wish you a Merry Christmas". After that, she said a prayer to give thanks for the sweets we are going to have. Then she told me to look up to the skies that night. And we should be able to see a big star hung up in the dark night. She said the star is God looking down on us. So if we have been misbehaving, He would know.

Its no surprise that I believed every word she said. I was still young and impressionable back then.

We didn't leave one candy behind. As they are barely enough for the two of us. We didn't have any presents to open for Christmas. Because we couldn't afford any.

But one thing my sister told me back then was this :

"It is the wishes of good things you want to give someone counts better then what you can afford to buy."

So she told me what she wanted to give me. A doll for me. And I told her I cannot think of anything she would want to have. And she said, "be a good girl"

Years ago she told me about a 3D handbag cake that she saw from an online cake order shop. I told myself back then that one day I will make one for her.

I hope she likes this cake I have baked and sculpted for her birthday today








Thank you Winnie..for all the wonderful years of being there for me, for loving me and caring for me all this time. And a very happy birthday to you too. And wishing you many more to come.

Love..Ting

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I enjoy reading this walk down memory lane of yours. You both are blessed to have each other. Happy Birthday to your sister from me.
Sandra

Gina Choong said...

Sandra, thank you for your kind comments.