Actually we have this ‘tradition’ that come Christmas Day, we have a feast. It began like when I was still a schoolgirl before it was ‘abandoned’ for a few years or something before it is being revived. When it used to be having a Christmas feast with my relatives (from my mother’s side), since a few years ago when the ‘tradition’ was revived, it is within my family. Except the time when I was in China this time last year to meet my relatives, it is something we do annually.

Since actually my family are not Christians, we don’t celebrate in a big way (which is why I said food is what I like about Christmas). Having a Christmas feast, admiring the Christmas lightings in our country’s shopping district…are some of the things we do around the Christmas season as a family. But then for me who used to come from a missionary school in my primary school years (just that back then, it was near where I live), I know how Christmas is a big thing for Christians. All the more I have a few friends from my schooldays who are Christians themselves.

Speaking of Raphael Honigstein’s blog posts on the Guardian, I wondered if you had checked out the behind-the-scenes of the Football Weekly podcast – http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/video/2008/dec/22/football-weekly-podcast-video. It was up like the other day or something and he was in it. The guys were discussing about the end of the Champions League group stages (it was shown briefly) and Honigstein even do an impersonation of Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. I almost had a real good laugh just watching how Honigstein do it!

Thanks. Same goes to you of course.

“I myself actually had a very heavy Christmas Eve dinner earlier on here. Only God knows why my mother decided to have the feast today. In the past, it is always on Christmas Day itself. But still, what I like about Christmas – food! ”

That’s the way to do it because you are following German football and the Bundesliga now. In Germany the 24th is the big day where you get your presents and all.

Anyhow, wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Jan. And to everyone else reading the Bundesliga Offside as well.

I myself actually had a very heavy Christmas Eve dinner earlier on here. Only God knows why my mother decided to have the feast today. In the past, it is always on Christmas Day itself. But still, what I like about Christmas – food!