Christmas Day in Singapore

Here are a few pictures from our Christmas in Singapore. 

Hannah presents John with the a hand made calendar.

The brothers Chalmers, also known as Laurel & Hardy after this picture!  Poor Ben had an eye allergy, so his eyes were sore, poor lad.

From the moment I had arrived with this present, Hannah had demanded to know who it was for.  I didn't put the name tag on it until Christmas Eve.  She was very excited to see what was in it.

Just look at the anticipation on her face!

A dog in the shape of a lamp!  Believe it or not, I have one too for my studio, a moment of complete shopping madness on my part.  Mary, do you remember these lamps?  Er, the orange thing in Hannah's hand?  It is the dog pooh on/off switch.  Yes I know, but I didn't see that bit when I got mine!  When the Chalmers came to stay with us in BKK recently, Hannah, who is a real animal lover, had my lamp by her bed.  Well, that was an easy present to sort out.

Yes, I think we can safely say, Hannah was very pleased to get her lamp.

Have you ever heard of anyone playing with a lamp before?  Hannah is fashioning a leash for the dog!

Ben is a big Lego fan, and spent the day building this air ship thing (see, I know all the technical terms!).

Every year the kids like to play jokes on Alan.  To set the scene, Alan wanted an ipad, which I told him I couldn't get.  It was true that it took a lot of shopping on my part before I found the one he wanted.

Alan looks like he is anticipating an ipad, despite the above.

Wooho!  An ipad!  The more eagle eyed will notice that the box doesn't say ipad 2 on it.

Alan examines the contents.  Just look at Hannah!

Well, it is an eye pad (ipad geddit?), just not the sort he was expecting!

 Ben demonstrates how to wear an ipad!  Ben and I spent the rest of the holiday talking like pirates.

John and Sair exchanging a tender moment.

Alan with this year's crazy underpants, snakeskin effect pants.  No, no no!  Do you honestly think I could get real snakeskin pants past CITES restrictions?  He modelled them for me the other day, but warned me off touching the viper!

John got a violin for Christmas.  He and Sam, who is also learning, intend to play together.

 John had very creatively wrapped this present.

An amazing old Indian bedspread (he couldn't afford a new one!).  This photo does not do the colours justice.  Beautiful shisha mirrors reflect light on the surface.  This has to be a wall hanging, I cannot see how it would survive the rigours of washing too often.

I take it somebody got something I wanted.  Either that or the fact that I had the smallest present in the room, really upset me.

Ha!  If that is how I look when surprised, I had best become all knowing!  Oh it was christmas earrings in case you are wondering.

Another (but relatively new) part of the 'humiliate Alan any way we can' tradition, is the Christmas song.  It appears given this and last years efforts, that it also has to be about pooh!  I write out the song and the Chalmers gang learn the words on the way to and from church (you know, when everyone else is thinking about the sanctity of Christmas!).  He was rather taken aback when we all ended up on the other side of the table and started singing to him.  At first he didn't realise it was about him and was taking these photos, then his ear tuned in as we started doing the actions.

Okay, all together now and to the tune of Santa Clause is coming to town:
You'd better watch out
You'd better block your nose
You'd better stand back
Or he'll splash your toes
Alan Raybould is coming, to town!

Well, the women found it funny anyway!

I've added this picture because it is just a lovely moment caught on camera.