Christmas Joy Under the Stars

Our parish has celebrated Christmas Joy for many years. This year felt a little different. Instead of gathering indoors, we came together under the open sky. Sitting outdoors, sharing food and laughter, the evening felt more relaxed.

The night brought together parishioners from all walks of life. Families caught up, children ran about freely, and familiar faces stayed longer than usual. A short welcome, prayers, and Christmas reflections set the tone. Still, the heart of the evening was the time spent together as one parish family.

Our guest for the night was YB Kumaran, ADUN for Bagan Dalam, who also represented YB Lim Guan Eng, who was overseas in China. YB Kumaran contributed RM3,000, while YB Lim Guan Eng contributed RM8,000, bringing total support for the event to RM11,000. We are grateful for their generosity.

Food played a big part in the celebration. The highlight for many was the kambing golek, along with BBQ chicken, fried koay teow, pasta, cakes, ice cream, and much more. It was generous and well enjoyed. Queues turned into conversations, and dinner became another moment of connection.

There was a brief drizzle earlier in the evening, which soon cleared. It became a gentle reminder to be thankful for God’s blessings, even in unexpected moments. The good weather that followed allowed the night to continue smoothly.

Carol singing brought everyone together once more. Groups from different language communities took turns, before everyone joined in for the final songs. Singing together, with our priests among us, captured the spirit of the night. Simple, joyful and united.

As the night went on, our Indonesian community invited everyone to join in for some poco-poco dancing under the “snow”. Many joined in, some trying the steps for the first time. There was plenty of laughter, smiles and cheering. It was a fun and spontaneous moment that brought many even closer together.

Christmas Joy Under the Stars reminded us of the true strength of our parish. While the food brought us together, it was the sense of community that stayed with us. People from different races, language groups, and nationalities coming together as one parish family. Christmas begins when God chooses to dwell among us, and that night, His presence was felt in the simple acts of gathering, sharing and being together. We are grateful to everyone who gave their time and effort to make this evening possible. We wish all our parishioners and their families a blessed Christmas. (BV)