Christmas & Family Gathering 2008

I know it's a bit late but anyway, Merry Christmas Everyone!!!...

Like the years before, I was in Ranau during the recent Christmas celebration and it's just feel great to be celebrating it this year since we're almost a complete family (without my two brothers who's still in Peninsular Malaysia) when we (my family members) gathered for the celebration and family gathering this time around.

My older sister, Giding (nama kampung) and her husband with their children were already at my parent's home earlier when we (me + my brother) arrived home on the night of Christmas's Eve. My younger brother,Wel is back in Sabah on holidays leave for two weeks and we have been aramai tie since he first landed ...Hahaha...1st night sudah kalapik...Alalala...Dewa aramai tie Penang tewas di Sabah juga...Hehehe. It has been 2 or 3 years already I think since his last trip back in Sabah and sampai saja already kena poisoned... Hahaha... Inda rugi balik bah kan... My younger sister, Indut (also nama kampung ni) arrived on the 26th with her bf after celebrating Christmas in Tambunan with her bf's family and with everyone at home, the house felt like alive again, especially with my sister's children around.

The highlight of this year's Christmas would be the grand family gathering (on my father's side) which was held at my auntie's house (my father's younger sister) in Kg. Marakau, Ranau. Met (al)most all of my uncles, aunties,cousins, nephews and nieces there. Some of them were familiar faces whereas some were new faces to me.. and there are so many of them. I really need a lot of time to catch up and remember about all the 'new' relatives that I've just known.

A funny and good thing was that it turned out that my two uncles whom have been working together at the same place in Telupid without realizing that they are actually related until they met up each other again on that day...Sad but true kinda story jugala ni. It's that kind of situation what the family gathering was all about...getting to know your own roots so that everyone know each others as to keep the family ties strong through the generations.

It was only the 2nd such family gathering being organized after the 1st gathering was initiated by my parent at our house last year and it would be a an annual event in years to come. Among the activities were gotong-royong for preparing food and dishes, eating lunch together, brief 'sembahyang', families introduction (suai kenal), families photo session with me being the 'official' photographer..matai la, our grandfather's (the only one left) birthday celebration and finally exchange gifts. It was both exciting and tiring experience...

Even though not everyone was there, it was still a successful gathering considering being only the 2nd time around and we are expecting it to improve over the next gathering at Kg. Bongkud (my 'new' datuk's house) in year 2009.


P/S: I'm still going through all the pictures that I've taken and will post them here once I'm done.