Category Archives: Christmas

Tidings of comfort and joy!

Ameliawrites-Christmas2014

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Luke 2:11-12, KJV

This is truly the most wonderful time of the year.

I love so many things about this season – the festivities, the gathering of friends and family, all the delicious food, the excitement and anticipation in the air as we approach the end of the year, the spirit of kindness and giving, the well-loved Christmas carols and tunes, the pretty decorations and lights lining the streets, the thoughtful gifts, the continued traditions…

But most of all, I love that Christmas is a reminder of the hope that I have because of the birth of my Savior – the hope of new life, of salvation, of grace all-sufficient, of deliverance.

As the familiar song goes,

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices!
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Truly, hope is present at Christmas because the newborn King has come to save the world.

Blessed Christmas to you and yours this season.

Christmas packaging | 3 ways to wrap festive Christmas gifts

3 quick and easy ways to wrap festive Christmas gifts without Christmas paper

I finally finished my Christmas wrapping this weekend. Which is quite a record for me, since I’m not finishing it on Christmas Eve instead, ha.

I didn’t have many gifts to wrap this year, and I didn’t have any Christmas paper on hand. But I didn’t want to specially purchase Christmas wrapping paper just for a handful of presents.

So I came up with three quick and easy ways to get those presents looking festive without actually using Christmas paper.

Here’s how I did it:

Use white paper, paper rosette, and a snowflake for quick Christmas wrapping | 3 ways to wrap festive Christmas gifts without Christmas paper

1. Add a Christmas element.

For this gift, I added a kraft snowflake from Maya Road. But you can also add a Christmas ornament, like Christmas bells, reindeer or snowman, whatever takes your fancy.

Add tinsel and gold for quick festive Christmas wrapping | 3 ways to wrap festive Christmas gifts without Christmas paper

2. Add some Christmas bling + shine.

I love the sparkle that Christmas brings, so go happy with the tinsel and gold on your packages! Whether it’s sequins, tinsel, gold stars, or gold ribbon, all these add a fun Christmas dimension.

Use a combination of red and green for Christmas wrapping | 3 ways to wrap festive Christmas gifts without Christmas paper

3. Add Christmas colors using embellishments.

This may be the most “traditional” idea of the three. But since using a combination of red and green is sure to give a Christmas vibe, I used red patterned paper with green string to make a Christmas bunting.

There are plenty of options with these. If you like, you can even add your own twist to the traditional Christmas combination and use fuschia and teal instead. Whatever floats your boat, ya know.

3 quick and easy ways to wrap festive Christmas gifts without Christmas paper

As Christmas Day draws nearer and you hurry to get those presents done before December 25th, try these three wrapping tricks with supplies you already have on hand.

Happy wrapping!

25 things to do this Christmas

Ameliawrites-25thingstodothisChristmas

Here in Singapore, it doesn’t always look or feel like Christmas because it doesn’t snow or get too cold. Instead, we get lots of rain and unpredictable weather. There are definitely no white Christmases on this side of the world.

That said, nothing is going to stop me from counting down the days to Christmas and getting into the Christmas spirit!

This season is definitely one of my favorite times of the year. There is so much to love about this season – from the spirit of giving, to remembering that Jesus is the reason for the season.

It’s time to start embracing the magic, joy and wonder of Christmas.

Here’s a list of some of my favorite things to do around this time of the year:

  1. Go to a local Christmas market.
  2. Attend a Christmas service.
  3. Bake Christmas cookies.
  4. Share said Christmas cookies with neighbors.
  5. Read the Christmas story.
  6. See the Christmas lights in town.
  7. Watch a Christmas movie.
  8. Throw a Christmas party.
  9. Drink hot chocolate.
  10. Have your own Christmas photo shoot.
  11. Hand make Christmas cards.
  12. Send said Christmas cards.
  13. Go Christmas caroling.
  14. Go Christmas shopping and wrap Christmas presents.
  15. Decorate your home and make it look festive.
  16. Photograph your Christmas decorations and traditions.
  17. Journal your thoughts about Christmas.
  18. Start one new tradition.
  19. Donate something you love to someone who needs it more.
  20. Text a friend whom you haven’t talked to in awhile.
  21. Make a playlist of your favorite Christmas songs.
  22. Try a new Christmas recipe.
  23. Try the Christmas selection at your favorite café.
  24. Have a Christmas gift exchange.
  25. Start a Christmas jar.

What will you be doing to get into the Christmas spirit this December? Let me know in the comments!