Hyatt Regency Resort Kuantan hosts Rapha Children's Home Christmas party

We were privileged to attend the Rapha Children's Home Christmas party at Hyatt Regency Resort Kuantan, by Teluk Chempedak beach.

We were invited by a member of staff who sent me an email the day before. I wondered how they found out about me and my email address. When we arrived I asked her, and she told me that I'm a famous blogger in Kuantan and people had told her about me! 

I was honestly surprised about that!

You will have to bear with me as some of these photos might not be the best quality. I'm still getting to grips with the enhanced piece of equipment I take photos with!

Meranti Ballroom at Hyatt Regency Resort, Kuantan

People enjoying the food at Meranti Ballroom, Hyatt Regency Resort, Kuantan

Decoration at Meranti Ballroom, Hyatt Regency Resort, Kuantan, as a clown performs in the background

Christmas trees are sprouting up everywhere now around Kuantan . . .

Christmas tree at Meranti Ballroom, Hyatt Regency Resort, Kuantan

The tables were decorated very nicely. Lauren and I loved it!

Table decoration at Meranti Ballroom, Hyatt Regency Resort, Kuantan

There was some very interesting food presented in the ballroom, which not only looked good, but tasted great too.

A terrific gingerbread house at Meranti Ballroom, Hyatt Regency Resort, Kuantan

This event was for the children who reside at the Rapha Children's Home here in Kuantan. It was to be a fun event to give these poor children something to smile about. It was sad to think that these lovely children have no parents in their lives. But at the same time, Hyatt Regency Resort staff gave them such a great time for a few hours that afternoon.

After the food was served, everything afterwards was pretty much "Gangnam Style Party!!!" First there was a fashion show cum Gangnam Style dance session . . .

Love this picture! The clown joined in too!

For more information about Mr. Cheko the clown, check out his facebook page here:

Mr. Cheko the clown services, Kuantan

Hyatt Regency Resort's own PSY!

Gangnam Style at Hyatt Regency Resort, Kuantan, Meranti Ballroom

The children of the Rapha Children's Home in Kuantan, performing in the Meranti Ballroom at Hyatt Regency Resort, Kuantan

Lauren receiving her present from Santa

And Leah receives her present from Santa too

Trying to make an interesting effect out of a bad photo!

The stand-out Gangnam Style dancer . . .

Everybody had great fun!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree . . .

With Christmas Day just ten days away, I'm sharing some pictures of our house, the Christmas tree being the focal point:

We have a few presents waiting under the tree

What would Christmas mean without a reminder of Jesus Christ, whose birth into the world is the entire reason we celebrate CHRISTmas?

And here is the imposter. I feel a bit strange having a picture of Jesus and a Santa Claus advent calendar almost side-by-side. It is nonetheless a lovely advent calendar. Thanks to my mum for sending that over a few Christmases ago!

And here is Mr. Bean. Mr. Bean however, has nothing to do with Christmas - it's just that Lauren decided to hang him on the tree! Makes it interesting :)

Had to snap a picture of my new favourite ornament - the vase!

A flurry of warm lights on the tree. Oh no, the imposter again!

We started off with one Christmas tree . . . 

Then we went for two . . .

We got a little greedy and had three!

If you are not Christian, do you still celebrate the real reason behind CHRISTmas, or is it just another holiday to you?

If you are Christian, does the pull of Santa distract you from the birth and life of Jesus?

The Fat Man Points to the Better Way

Santa Claus is an imposter. That is the awful truth which is blinding the eyes of many adults and spoiling the mis-guided beliefs of countless children each Christmas. It does not, however, come without signs and shadows of the real identity surrounding the focus of our festivities - Jesus Christ.

There is a special feeling attached to Christmas, and this is not due to a mortal man who is long gone, but rather the birth into the world of the architect and saviour of the world. As painfully inadequate an imposter as Santa Claus is, his mythical existence does provide some interesting parallels with the reality of Jesus Christ.

1. Santa Claus lives in the secluded snowy white area named Lapland, far away from everything, the dreams of little children who long to visit him at his residence. The Saviour resides in the mansions of his father, "on a globe like a sea of glass," which I guess would look a little like a snow-covered, glistening Lapland. That too, is far away from us, yet we know it exists and long to return there someday.

2. Santa is the giver of gifts. Apparently, "he's making a list, he's checking it twice, he's gonna find out who's naughty or nice." Much of the gospel of Christ is associated with the giving of gifts. Indeed, it's extremely important to Christ to know "who's naughty or nice," for we know that "any blessing from God [is obtained] by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." The greatest of Jesus' gifts is his atonement.

3. Santa Claus seems to have an infinite number of presents to cover everyone in the world. Similarly, the gifts of repentance and forgiveness are available to all of God's children. Christ's atonement is retrospective in the giving of his love to those who preceded it, those who lived during the time, and those of us who live after the event.

4. Santa Claus delivers his gifts secretly at night while everyone is sleeping so that he can't be seen. The deliverance of the gift of Christ to earth was similarly done during the night where an extremely limited number of people witnessed the event. It is significant to note that on the night of  the Saviour's suffering in The Garden of Gethsemane, even his closest associates, the three chief disciples, fell asleep whilst Christ strained under the burden of supplying the greatest gift the world has ever received. Not even they could keep their eyes open to behold the conveyance of this heavenly gift.

5. Santa Claus's work is long and arduous so he has elves to assist him in preparing gifts, who also come to parts of the earth to inform people of Santa's coming. We can quite easily see the symbolism in this one. Christ has legions of angels who at times throughout history have visited the earth to announce his imminent birth and also to proclaim his Second Coming.

6. Children write letters to Santa requesting specific gifts they would love to receive. Comparably, we are each invited to pray to the Father in the name of Christ, to give thanks and to beseech him for certain blessings or gifts we would like to attain. Whilst Santa replies with material gifts, the Saviour almost always replies with spiritual help which increases our faith in him.

So, whilst whipping one another into a Santa frenzy this Christmas, let's observe the symbols and shadows of Christ which are weaved into the 'life' and 'works' of Santa Claus. The life and works of Christ and the gift of his atonement are gloriously portrayed each year, if we open our eyes to see them.