Christmas is definitely the most wonderful time of the year. With the spirit of joy and giving, this season is definitely a favourite of Malaysians. Despite not having winter or snow, the bright decorations and delicious beverages are things that everyone looks forward to. Though we all live in a tropical country where the weather is warm and humid, this won’t stop us from celebrating this festive season. We have our Malaysian way to celebrate Christmas.
As soon as November arrives, Christmas decorations can be seen in most shopping malls and cities. With a gigantic Christmas tree being the centrepiece of most shopping malls, this is especially true for Suria KLCC and Pavilion, KL. Some malls even have fake snow to liven up the spirits of shoppers.
This long holiday is the best time of the year to visit your relatives or to travel and see new places. Christmas is all about being together and bonding with one another as another year soon comes to an end.
How Christmas First Started
December 25 is marked as the birth date of Jesus. The date was first known as Jesus’s birthdate in AD 221 and accepted universally by all Christians. It is also stated that December 25 is the date of the creation of the world.
Christmas was first celebrated in the 9th century. The first Christmas celebration was held by the Roman Catholic churches in the late evening of the December 24. They held the Christmas candlelight services accompanied with the readings of the salvation history and Christmas carols.
The service was then held by the University of Cambridge, making it a popular and worldwide celebration. The feast is to commemorate the Christians God’s gift; Jesus to the humankind. In return for God’s gift, a tradition of giving gifts to everyone was established in the 15th century.
The practice of giving gifts to family and friends is a tradition that many non-Christians practice as well.
Popular Christmas Dinner Menus
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Bolo Rei
Malaysia’s very own Christmas cake. It is originated in Portugal and is round-shaped with a hole in the centre. This Christmas cake is covered with dried fruits, making it sweet and tasty.
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Egg salad
Egg salad is often served on the night of the Christmas Eve. Egg salad is made of chopped hard-boiled eggs and usually mixed with mayonnaise.
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Christmas pudding
This dessert is perfect for your Christmas dinner with the family. This pudding is made of dried fruits, egg, and suet, and is flavoured with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and other spices.
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Candy Cane
The cane-shaped candy is a must-have dessert during the Christmas celebration. It is traditionally in white with red stripes and flavoured with peppermint.
With various food on the table, celebrate with your loved ones and appreciate this peaceful time of the year. If you don’t have time to cook something, order delivery from foodpanda and get food, drinks and snacks delivered right to your doorstep!