On this Christmas day, I reflect on the gift of families.
Bartolome Esteban Murillo, The Nativity, ca. 1665-70, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA. Source: dailyartmagazine
Christians all know that the baby Jesus was born in a manger because there was no room available for his family in the inn in Bethlehem. Mary and Joseph had no crib for their newborn so they improvised and used a manger, which was just an open box to hold fodder for the farm animals. For a god, Jesus was born with little creature comforts, much less kingly luxuries.
But he had a family. He had his mother, Mary, and foster father, Joseph, with him.
As we celebrate this day with countless traditions, abundant food, and many presents, may we remember that the gift of family – be it divine, earthly, natural, adopted, virtual, near or far – is the best gift of all.
Merry Christmas to all!
I’m copying some posts from the other thread here. –pm3
From grace.
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Dropping in to say hi and blessed Christmas Eve!
I’ve been on a kdrama draught until Brewing Love which I am watching because of the leads….too pretty and handsome though, and then being stuck because there’s no more Dramacool and Kissasian episodes weren’t working and then Viu isn’t allowing me to speed up the show.
Still on it! last 3 episodes!
Meanwhile, I’m crazy over Blossom too @agdr03!!! The story pacing is so good, if I ain’t watching with family, I would have binged it and rewatched it. We are already bingeing it 3 episodes a day.
LiYunrui’s small smiley eyes are so cute to behold compared to MengZhiyi’s big eyes. The kiss from the horse. Wow! at 3:17mins
I’m copying some posts from the other thread here. –pm3
From @grace.
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@GB Oh dear, what happened to you? I’m glad you on the mend! Praying you have a well rested and recovered Christmas!
I’m copying some posts from the other thread here. –pm3
From @GB.
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Hi @grace, long time no see! Thanks for asking after me. I’m recovering at home after unexpected surgery and still have to get over some mysterious injuries that I never knew I had.
Yes, please keep praying for my continued recovery. Have a good and blessed Christmas!
I’m copying some posts from the other thread here. –pm3
From FGB4877
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Dear Friends, Merry Christmas!!!
Knowing @PackMule3, the Christmas Post is just a couple hours away.
@GB, just to have news from you are good news. Get well soon. I am very happy that you are at home during Holidays with your Family, seems like a small thing but it is not! The part about mysterious injuries is something to watch out.
@Welmaris, hope you are well and that your family situation gets better. This is life, and must be addressed properly!
Don’t worry, a beautiful truth about the Human Heart is that there is always more room for new people but it also have a special place for old friends. Just like the mind, something infinitely vast that paradoxically occupies no room.
@SnowFlower, will check it out. Some Netflix shows are really good, “Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san (2023)” is a good recommendation if you are into Iyashikei (Healing) Dramas. Started watching “Zen Ryoiki Ijo Kaiketsu Shitsu (2024)” but its last episodes are yet to download. A Supernatural procedural that got me hooked… and right now frustrated for the wait.
“Who is She” seems interesting. I also loved “Miss Granny”!
@MonMor, @Agdr03 and Amazing @Grace, I still have to end a Chinese Drama. Even one as good as “Go Ahead” is a struggle for me.
I’m copying some posts from the other thread here. –pm3
From @GB.
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@FGB, @pkml3 and BOD Friends, a Happy and Holy Christmas to you!
Thanks for your good wishes @FGB. As is quite usual in the paradoxes of life, it’s good to be home and yet it’s more tiring. I’ve to figure out the logistics of getting from upstairs to downstairs, from choosing a chair and how to get up from it, how to go about my daily life and heal my leg at the same time. It’s great to be out and about from time to time, but I’m also in bed a lot to recuperate from just a couple of hours activity.
Still I look forward to an interesting, first time big church Christmas Celebration on Saturday and a good New Year. Take care All!
I’m copying some posts from the other thread here. –pm3
From @Snowflower.
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Blessed Christmas to everyone! I wish all peace and healing, and many good dramas to watch and discuss!
I’m copying some posts from the other thread here –pm3
From @agdr03.
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A very Merry Christmas to everyone!!! 🎄🎄🎄
May God’s mercy and grace be with us as we celebrate our Saviour’s birth. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Happy Birthday Jesus! 🥳🥳🥳
I’m copyin @FGB’s reply over here.
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Dear @GB, Life is full of paradoxes as it is wayyy bigger than any of us can comprehend, so another paradox is to learn to accept the inconsistencies of Life as just the part we see of hidden phenomena while doing our best to maintain some order. Acceptance.
If anything, you have been immersed in a place catered to people that is recovering (Hospital) to a place designed for the Healthy (your home).
You are facing the frustration of coming back to a place utterly familiar, but where you have to adjust to everything again as your body has moved from its usual state due to a temporary illness.
That is, you must navigate a familiar place with new eyes for the time being.
Thankfully it is only for a short while.
Get well soon!
Family is Love. ❤️
I hope you’ll have a wonderful Christmas with your family, Queen. 🎄🎄🎄
I already pigged out on bbq, Christmas ham, beef mushroom, provolone sausages, mango/macadamia salad, sashimi, Oreo cheesecake and pavlova. 🤦🏻♀️😂
Off to bed now with my heart and stomach full. 🤗🤗🤗
Thank you for this Christmas thread, @pkml3! I trust that you’re having a lovely Christmas with family. On Saturday a group of us will be reflecting on the mysterious way God works which resulted in the great event of His Son coming to be with us at an inopportune time, in the poorest of conditions and in such a hidden way. We reflect on what that might mean for us as we too plan our year, new events, … our future and face difficulties or successes. Truly through it all, we are gifted with family and companions, and the presence of God Himself, who remains with us always.
Wishing you and everyone lots of blessings and the grace to enjoy God’s abiding love.
Dear Pakmule and BOD’er
Wish you all a Happy and Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.
May God bless you all with Health, Happiness and Prosperity in the coming year.
@GB – take good care of yourself. Do let us know how you are. Binge watch dramas, but don’t overdo it. Healing is important.
To all others – enjoy Christmas with family and friends.
Merry Christmas @Packmule3 et al!
My best wishes to everyone!
Have a great time with your loved ones, enjoy their company, and if by chance you are alone, please remember that we are here for you! ❤️✨🙏🎄🥰
Merry Christmas to all! I am having a slow paced Christmas day with my visiting sons (and one delightful girlfriend) while my husband is cooking up something with a Bechamel sauce. The house smells amazing! We had a packed Christmas Eve service last night and our choral music went as well as could be expected – even the a capella piece, one we all know and love. So even though we also are recovering from various health issues in our household, all is good and filled with God’s grace.
All the best to all of you. You all have been a life-line more than once in the last few years (especially since no one in my immediate vacinity has the remotest interest in Korean or Chinese dramas — just the eye-roll for those nearest and dearest to me-LOL)
Just a quick note while i’m waiting for the shortbread to cool. Hoping they unmould from the ceramic pan gracefully.
Our celebrations are a combination of french canadian, Irish catholic, And german traditional.
The tortiere is often the best part! Difficult to choose with so many delicious foods to eat.
We open gifts on Christmas Eve which I much prefer to the mad rush on christmas morning, for our family. Christmas mass happens sometimes for some of us and sometimes at midnight!
Our big extended family event is today. I have been pacing my food and alcohol intake for the last couple of days in preparation😄
The best part is with my husband and children When we open our gifts to and from each other. My daughter is home this year and a delight to have for christmas.
Courtesy of zoom we were able to join with my son and his wife in british columbia.
I am grateful to the BOD Community For having such a great place to share my interest in asian culture- Pop and otherwise.
Best wishes to everyone this holiday season 2024.
Dear All. @packmule3, thank you for the Christmas post. It’s a pleasure to read everyone’s wishes. I hope that all who celebrate Christmas have had a wonderful day and I hope that 2025 will be a year of healing, health and reconciliation for all.
My husband made the entire roast dinner today – he wouldn’t have anyone helping. Maybe it’s just the way he wants it when it’s all done, haha. It was delicious. My family in America is well. Even my nephew who joined the Marines in July got to be at home with my brother’s family, so it’s a bonus to see him, if only by zoom from here.
Best wishes to all.
Dear Friends, Merry Christmas!!!
Kalinichta dear @Cleo, thanks and hope you had a good time today!
@SaltedDust, happy to read that Family might get a new member soon! Happy to read also that you have a good husband: a man that is literally nurturing.
I concur with the feeling: specially in the solitude of the Pandemic years this Community was a lifesaver.
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This has been a quiet day. All the greetings were exchanged yesterday, save some friends that answered today. Received the 25th watching Carl Sagan’s Cosmos with my cat on my lap with some popcorn.
There were some fireworks, so I went to bed almost at 2 AM to keep company to the poor feline… and because Cosmos is just THAT good 😀
My 24th dinner included an Hallaca. Yesterday I also bought some basic food so I had mostly sandwiches today (no cooking 😉 )… and some popcorn for video watching.
The rest of you, with the exception of @PackMule3 received my greetings yesterday.
Wish I could have been able to greet @WEnchanteur today.
Happy to read from you all!
@AngelWingsSSF, sorry I forgot you!
First of all: ¡¡¡AMÉN!!! I totally agree: we all need better lives.
Merry Christmas to all!
@FGB4877, I had to look up hallaca…it seems it would be delicious! I hope you enjoyed yours. And thank you for your concern about my family. My older daughter is doing better.
My kitchen is busy at the moment, so I’m staying away: I’ll do cleanup later. My husband is prepping ingredients for Chinese hot pot, with help from our daughter and son-in-law. Our other daughter worked today, so isn’t joining us for Christmas dinner. We had our whole family together for a meal Monday night.
Oops! Several hours have gone by since I wrote the words above. Dinner was enjoyed, and I did my task of cleaning afterwards.
To Packmule3 and all my friends here on BoD, I wish you blessings as 2024 draws to a close. For those who observe Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany/Twelfth Night, may the holidays bring you peace and joy. For those who celebrate Hanukkah, may the days of the festival bring you happiness. I wish warmth and light to those who celebrate in other ways during this winter season.
@angelwingssf, many thanks for your good wishes!
I’m carefully rehabilitating at home and also slowly trying to be out and about with help from family and friends. I just need to rest more in between bouts of activity as I get used to doing things in a ‘different’ way from before.
I’m certainly enjoying quite a few dramas but sleeping a lot in between!
Take care of yourself and blessings to you for health and happiness too!
Dear @Welmaris, may the warmth of your family Christmas and the health of all you hold dear, remain steady and strong throughout the year!
To the BOD family, Best wishes for a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and a joyous Kwanzaa. I hope the new year brings you health, peace and prosperity. And in the words of that famous Vulcan, Live Long and Prosper[I know this is redundant but there aren’t enough good wishes in the world).
Happy Chanukah (Hanukkah) @OAL! May you and your family live long and healthily and prosper too!