Xmas Prezzies!!

It's the time of the year again, (yesh still really behind time) our annual X'mas shopping at Taka!

Looks like it's not only us. Who says there a recession looming?

Our presents under the "Christmas tree", can't open them till the stroke of midnight.

My share! (a healthy increase from last year)

Blamer's share part 1.

Blamer's share part 2 (from her colleagues)

No turkey or honey-baked ham this year, but at least there's still a log cake from my Boss.

Reading the well-wishes and tearing up the prezzies time!

I have a really messy room... Heezs...

The aftermath... ...

My prezzies! Lotsa perfumes to last me for say at least two years? A travel bag, water bottle, eye cream, chocolates and at last, cuff links for my tailored shirts from HK! Must mention the gingerboy (right in the middle) given by Blamer.

Blamer's share of prezzies--oso a lot wat... still complain so much.

On a side note... we walked along Orchard road to take in the sights and sounds of Christmas on our various trips to get prezzies.

I think the theme this year is toys, sweets and prezzies!

A tourist helped us to take a pic, but I dun think he got the backgrd.

Approached another tourist after the first walked away. Wa ha ha, this was a better photographer... ...

More toys, and yes our night pics still suck.

Blamer can't resist the temptations anymore!

Two more blurry pics to end the post. Must really go and read up Dent Dent's menu on how to use its night mode.

X'mas Dinner with chups

{sorry ppl, yes still at Christmas} It was a Christmas dinner arranged by HQ at Trader's Hotel. As usual, I'm the earliest.

Had the time to take some pics of the table setting. It's a buffet which according to HQ serves unlimited supply of lobster and chili crabs.

At last, some of them arrived (HQ & KaiWei), got the waiter to take a pic for us. Sorry Zhiguang and Gav not in the pic. Think by the time they arrived, food was first on our mind then photos. Ha ha

Their starters consist of smoked salmon, smoked turkey salad and roasted beef salad and of cos the usual assorted salads.

Sampling of the mains, quite like their braised beef, and the dory in cream sauce. No said lobsters or chili crab cos according to the waiter, they are only available during weekends not weekdays... Crap! Shldn't have trusted HQ ha ha ha, still it's an enjoyable night meeting up and updating each other of what's happening in our lives.

(Sorry for the lack of photos, too busying whacking the food le)

Xmas Present .... that I dun wanna receive :(

{still in Xmas season} Eric gave me my "Xmas present" slightly earlier this year

*Excited*
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Revealing the contents ... OMG! I dun wanna receive this "present" :( This means more work for me!

So much for an Xmas present, hahaa.

Xmas Potluck Picnic

{overdue post, just pretend that Xmas is approaching k?} Being the typical kiasu Singaporeans, we had our first ever Xmas Potluck Picnic way in advance before the Xmas season. What's Xmas without any gift exchanges rite? Poor Me was kena bullied into buying 5 out of 7 presents :(

EK kindly offered to come & fetch me, after he requested for my help in buying his gift exchange presents.

Cam-whored in the back seat while EK cruised the way to our destination.

Bags filled with goodies for a day of fun & laughter!

The guys {missing EK}. Kenneth was the 1st to reach *surprise surprise*

FMQ - my co-ordinator for this outing. We have concluded that we can never trust the guys to get things done.

3 virgins who have never stepped into Botanic Garden before

Our spread for the day! Many thanks to all of us for contributing :)

Star dish #1 - Curry chicken from my beloved Mummy!

Star dish #2 - Leecher's bought from the market homecooked version of fried bee hoon. He purposely rearranged the bee hoon & added the tomato for an artistic feel.

Star dish #3 - Kenneth's takeaway 烧饼 from Geylang

It was time for gift exchange!

The nicely-wrapped present from FMQ (true to her marketing instincts)

Kenneth taking the chance to advertise his shop, haha

The line-up of presents with numbers assigned to it.

Time to start the ball rolling! * each of us praying that we won't kena one particular present!*

Suay Yaozu kena the one present that we were hoping that we won't get, haha. Look on the brighter side, you saved us all from the present :P

Lucky me! I got the best present :) Yippes

The lucky recipients with their presents :) Leecher was thrilled at getting back his own present!

The toy (Japanese folk art Toy cup & ball, also known as Kendama) that got everyone obsessed and became the toy-of-the-day

See how popular the Kendama is. Even 24-ish adults still marvel over it like kids.

Kenneth's turn to play with the toy. {Sorry for the background conversation, Leecher can't wait to be heard, haha}

Once Kenneth has mastered the art of putting the ball into the cup, he gamely challenged Leecher to a match.

Round 1:

Looks like both contestants are equipped with the skills! Tough fight ~ We decided on the sudden-death method. Whoever failed to put the ball on the cup will lose ....

Kenneth scored!!!!! He is truly the master of Kendama!

Leecher failed, wa ha ha. His dejected look when the ball hung loosely instead of sitting on the cup.

Punishment ~ to finish the last piece of 烧饼. No-one dares to challenge Kenneth anymore, 无敌是寂寞的

Time to pack up and head to somewhere else, as the sky was darkening (threatening to pour)

Went back to CDB area {machiam like going back to work} to laze around in TCC.

The Azuki freeze was hot favourite of the group, as recommended by foodie FMQ.

From students to corporate slaves .....

From friends to lovers ....

All the fun & laughter & tears & exam stress that we have been through, I am counting my blessings :)

Time to call it a day for the scorching sun was making us tired. Since it was an Xmas picnic, how can we have no pictures of the Xmas tree?

"Borrowed" the Xmas tree from UOB :P Well, they even recycled the Xmas tree from 2007 (recession?)

More Xmas-related posts coming up {ya, overdue posts, hahaa}