Malaysia is a country where Islam is the majority of the religion, the multiracial and multi-religious make up of the notion means Christmas is a public holiday for everyone. On this day, over two-billion people (over a third of the world's population) will celebrate the birth of Christ.

Christmas Day celebrates the Nativity of Jesus, which as per custom occurred on December 25th 1 BC. December 25th will be a public occasion in many nations around the globe. On the off chance that 25 December falls on an end of the week, at that point a close by work day might be taken as a vacation in lieu.

The history of the Christmas occasion has a solid establishing in the tale of the introduction of Jesus, huge numbers of the customs we partner with Christmas have developed from pre-Christian convictions and unquestionably, the conventions have advanced past simply a Christian occasion to have a more extensive common importance. The festival of Christmas in late December is positively because of previous festivals occurring around then, denoting the Colder time of year Solstice. 

Generally striking of these is Yule (which means \'Feast\'), a colder time of year agnostic celebration that was initially celebrated by Germanic individuals. The specific date of Yule relies upon the lunar cycle, however it tumbles from late December to early January. In some Northern Europe nations, the neighbourhood word for Christmas has a closer phonetic bind to \'Yule\' then \'Christmas\', and it is as yet a term that might be utilised for Christmas in some English-talking nations. A few Yule conventions are recognisable to the cutting-edge festivity of Christmas, for example, Yule Log, the custom of consuming an enormous wooden sign on the fire at Christmas; or for sure ditty singing, which is shockingly an old convention. 

Under the Julian schedule, the colder time of year solstice was fixed on December 25, and this date was additionally the day of the famous Roman occasion of Saturnalia, to pay tribute to Saturn, the divine force of horticulture; which was later supplanted by Sol Convicts, a day that packaged up the festival of a few sun-based divine beings into one simple to oversee the celebration. As Christianity grabbed hold across the Roman domain and past, the date of when to commend the introduction of Christ turned into somewhat of an issue, with a few unique dates proposed. 

It was until 350 Promotion, when the then Cleric of Rome, Pope Julius I, fixed the official Christmas day on December 25. Lamentably, Julius I, do not show his working out on how he arrived at this date; a few researchers later proposed that it was determined as nine months after the Annunciation (Walk 25), when the blessed messenger Gabriel is said to have appeared to Mary and revealed to her she would bear the child of God. Whatever the thinking, obviously, similarly as key agnostic destinations were being picked for new chapels, so too the date was picked with the goal to sling Christmas into turning into a significant celebration by setting it over the prior agnostic celebrations.

Furthermore, there are a few Christmas tradition which is mistletoe. Kissing somebody who turns out to be remained under a branch of mistletoe is viewed as a custom advocated in Victorian Britain. Notwithstanding, even this generally current convention has considerably more antiquated echoes in that Mistletoe bears its organic product around the hour of the Colder time of year Solstice, and its alleged legendary capacity to recuperate and expand richness. 

In Norse folklore, a bolt produced using mistletoe slaughtered Balder, who was a sibling of Thor. Frigga, Balder\'s Mom resurrected him crying tears that changed the red berries on the mistletoe to white. Frigga at that point favoured the mistletoe and guaranteed a kiss to any individual who passed underneath it. A trace of Mistletoe\'s mix from agnostic services into Christmas custom is said that the mistletoe plant used to be a tree, and its wood was utilised to make the cross on which Jesus was killed. After the Torturous killing, the plant withered to turned into the parasitic plant we know today. 

Lastly, carol singing  also one of the tradition too. As referenced before, the custom of singing of tunes can be followed back to the agnostic celebrations before the approach of Christmas. Without a doubt, the word tune is gotten from the Greek word \"choraulein\", which implied \"an antiquated circle dance performed to woodwind music.\" 

As hymns were at that point a set up custom, early Christians settled on the clever choice to coordinate Christian melodies into the convention as opposed to boycott the singing. Most new Christian Hymns were written in Latin, which was by the medieval times, a language just utilised by the congregation, subsequently lessening the fame of the custom. Notwithstanding, songs got an infusion of fame when St. Francis of Assisi began his Nativity Plays in Italy in 1223, which included melodies written in the neighbourhood people\'s language. 

The convention of \'Modern\' Ditty singing thrived in Britain. Known as Wassailing, it was an opportunity for workers to get some truly necessary cause from their medieval rulers. This singing for cash created in a custom including voyaging performers who might visit well off homes, singing in the expectation of accepting cash food or blessings consequently. There was a short break in 1647 when the Puritans come to control after the English Common War. The Puritans, under the administration of Oliver Cromwell, objected to the festival of Christmas. There was even a fine of up to five shillings for anybody discovered singing holiday songs. When Ruler Charles II returned to the seat in 1660, the public singing of holiday songs was allowed once more.

“Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!” Here we are at Christmas time again. I never celebrate Christmas in my life but I am pretty sure it’s a wonderful celebration. From what I knew, this is a cultural festival that brings families together. Every Christian loves Christmas because it is full of joy, gifts, family gatherings and singing beautiful Christmas carols everywhere. This is a special season to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Although this was its original purpose, the celebration of Christmas has developed into a symbolic time for peaceful and loving lives. Christmas is essentially reminding the people who celebrate why they should stick to the deepest side of humanity. That is, through the celebrations, they are reminded that they should share, give less privileged people, spend time with loved ones and have a positive view of life in general. Other than that, Christmas is a cultural festival and requires a lot of preparation work. This is a public holiday, so people have Christmas holidays to celebrate it. For most people, the preparations for Christmas begin very early, so the celebration begins on Christmas Eve. The preparation for Christmas involves many activities. Before starting any preparations, you must plan who you will spend Christmas with, because you have to consider their preferences and ways of doing things. Christmas shopping is carried out as an art of preparation. People usually buy decorations, food and gifts, mainly for the children of family and friends. Some families buy Christmas clothes that suit everyone.

Common preparations include decorating places with Christmas trees and lighting. Before starting to decorate, the house must be deeply cleaned. The Christmas tree brings the spirit of Christmas into the home, because all its decorations are sparkling. The gifts are placed in wrapped gift boxes under the Christmas tree and are not opened until Christmas Day.

And what happens on Christmas Eve? The activities done on Christmas Eve are still being prepared. Prepare Christmas dinner, set the table, wrap unwrapped gifts and put them under the Christmas tree. Families get together, have the spirit of Christmas and share the spirit of Christmas and the excitement of the upcoming day.

And what happens on Christmas Day? There are usually few activities on Christmas Day, because everything is prepared in advance. Then they exchanged gifts with their families and celebrated with food and music. The happiness during Christmas is unparalleled.

When exchanging gifts, the children thought they were from Santa Claus. Santa Claus or Christmas Father is a character derived from Western Christian culture and is believed to give gifts to disciplined children during Christmas. Children tend to behave well when expecting Santa’s gifts.

Road trip is one of the best ways to uplift mood. People who love travelling mostly prefer road trips as they offer a completely different experience. Whether one is going out with family or friends – road trips are considered to be the best way to enjoy the vacation to the fullest.

ads

Here are four lifestyle changes to get you started :-

1. Improve your diet and start moving

Wholefoods such as leafy green vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, lean red meat and seafood, provide nutrients that are important for optimal brain function. These foods contain magnesium, folate, zinc and essential fatty acids.

Foods rich in polyphenols, such as berries, tea, dark chocolate, wine and certain herbs, also play an important role in brain function.

In terms exercise, many types of fitness activities are potentially beneficial – from swimming, to jogging, to lifting weights, or playing sports. Even just getting the body moving by taking a brisk walk or doing active housework is a positive step.

Activities which also involve social interaction and exposure to nature can potentially increase mental well-being even further.

General exercise guidelines recommend getting at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days during the week (about 150 minutes total over the week). But even short bouts of activity can provide an immediate elevation of mood.

2. Prioritise rest and sleep

Sleep hygiene techniques aim to improve sleep quality and help treat insomnia. They including adjusting caffeine use, limiting exposure to the bed (regulating your sleep time and having a limited time to sleep), and making sure you get up at a similar time in the morning.

Some people are genetically wired towards being more of a morning or evening person, so we need to ideally have some flexibility in this regard (especially with work schedules).

It’s also important not to force sleep  if you can’t get to sleep within around 20 minutes, it may be best to get up and focus the mind on an activity (with minimal light and stimulation) until you feel tired.

The other mainstay of better sleep is to reduce exposure to light especially blue light from laptops and smartphones prior to sleep. This will increase the secretion of melatonin, which helps you get to sleep.

Getting enough time for relaxation and leisure activities is important for regulating stress. Hobbies can also enhance mental health, particularly if they involve physical activity.

3. Get a dose of nature

When the sun is shining, many of us seem to feel happier. Adequate exposure to sunshine helps levels of the mood-maintaining chemical serotonin. It also boosts vitamin D levels, which also has an effect on mental health, and helps at the appropriate time to regulate our sleep-wake cycle.

The benefits of sun exposure need to be balanced with the risk of skin cancer, so take into account the recommendations for sun exposure based on the time of day/year and your skin color.

You might also consider limiting your exposure to environmental toxins, chemicals and pollutants, including “noise” pollution, and cutting down on your mobile phone, computer and TV use if they’re excessive.

4. Reach out when you need help

Positive lifestyle changes aren’t a replacement for medication or psychological therapy but, rather, as something people can undertake themselves on top of their treatment.

While many lifestyle changes can be positive, some changes (such as avoiding junk foods or giving up smoking) may be challenging if being used as a psychological crutch. They might need to be handled delicately, and with professional support.

Strict advice promoting abstinence, or a demanding diet or exercise regime, may cause added suffering, potentially provoking guilt if you can’t meet these expectations. So go easy on yourself.

That said, take a moment to reflect how you feel mentally after a nutritious wholefood meal, a good night’s sleep, or a walk in nature with a friend. `

ads

Kuala Lumpur, Dec 17 - Netflix is adding three of Yasmin Ahmad’s films to its vault on Dec 18, which means these critically-acclaimed Malaysian movies will be available to a global audience.

The films are Rabun (2003), Mukhsin (2007) and Talentime (2009).

Rabun was the late director’s first movie. It centres on an old couple (M. Rajoli and Kartina Aziz) who returns to the kampung setting after spending the best years of their lives in the city.

But their eccentric personalities, and the fact they are openly affectionate towards each other, don’t quite gel with their neighbours in the kampung.

Rabun’s story is said to be a tribute to Yasmin’s parents, whom she described to The Star in 2003 as “wacky and energetic”.

Her 2007 effort, Mukhsin, comes after the films Sepet (2004) and Gubra (2006). All three films revolve around the character Orked, at different stages of her life. This one tells of a blossoming romance between schoolgirl Orked (Sharifah Aryana) and Mukhsin (Mohd Syafie Naswip).

The film made its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2006. In November 2020, a digitally restored version of the film was showcased once again at the same festival.

Yasmin, who died of a brain hemorrhage in July 2009 at the age of 51, released Talentime in March that year.

Her last film explores stories about family dynamics as well as friendships that are formed from good and bad times, all intertwined to a talent competition at a school.

Earlier this month, Talentime starring Mahesh Jugal Kishor, Mohd Syafie Naswip and Hon Kahoe was screened at True Colors Film Festival.

Yasmin’s films keep resurfacing, withstanding the test of time, simply because her films feature relatable characters and human dramas. In short, her films carry an honest and realistic portrayals of Malaysian life, all told with an entertaining approach.

In a 2008 interview, Yasmin told The Star that one of the unique qualities of her movies is that it features characters of all races.

''For me, it is strange to see only Malays in a movie because in our daily lives we interact with other races, that's who we are every day."

She added in the same interview: ''I don't like films that preach. I just tell what I feel on screen. I leave it to viewers to make their own interpretations. As a filmmaker, I am just asking questions, I don't use my films to make judgments.''

ads

Kuala Lumpur, Dec 17 -  As one of the greatest Malaysian shuttlers to ever grace the game, it comes as no surprise that Lee Chong Wei is idolized by many.

Although it has been one and half years since the 38-year-old hung up his racquet, Nigerian player Anuoluwapo Juwon Opeyori still looks upon Chong Wei as an inspiration.

Opeyori, 23, last year’s African champion and African Games gold medal list, has provisionally qualified for the Tokyo Olympics next year in both the singles and doubles.

He is on course to make the 40-man field as he is currently 38th in the Race to Tokyo singles rankings.

In the doubles, Opeyori and Godwin Olofua are presently occupying the continental berth for the 16-pair competition by virtue of being the second highest-ranked pair not from Asia and Europe.

So with an Olympics debut on the cards, how does Opeyori prepare for it?

Opeyori spent time studying the playing styles and techniques of his idol by reliving Chong Wei’s matches online and then trying to emulate his moves in training.

“Sometimes when I play, I see myself as Lee Chong Wei, ” Opeyori told the Olympic Channel.

“I will tap into his spirit to play, even in tournaments. I admire Lee Chong Wei because of his style of play, he is so fast on court.

“If you want to play like him you have to be ready to fight.”

It will be a dream come true for Opeyori to compete at the Olympic especially having just joined the national team barely three years ago.

“I hope that my achievements will inspire more youngsters to take up the sport and believe that they too can do it.”

ads

     During last weekend, my friends and I went to Cameron Highlands. In the morning, we packed our clothes and loaded them into my friend's car .We hit the road at 7 a.m. to avoid traffic jammed. The road to Cameron Highlands was crooked and the road was filled with fog. The scenery along the road was eye pleasing. We chit-chatted along the way. After a five hours drive, we arrived at our destination. Cameron Highland has cool mountain air. Although our country is facing haze problem now, the air there was still free from pollution. It is a form escapism from all the hustle and bustle of the city life - translating into another dimension of peace and serenity which is we need sometimes.

    For our first plan, we decided to visit the Big Red Strawberry Farm. A lot of strawberries were cultivated there. Salad and lettuce plants are also planted there. We had our tea time there. The place, strawberry tea and waffles are great combination to chill. 

    Then we went to Sheep Sanctuary. Its a great opportunity for us to see the sheep and feed them.  They are cute and soooo nice to people. 

    As the sun slowly set under the horizon,

we decided to go to Golden Hills Weekend Night Market. 

The night market were different than before. Maybe it is due to Covid-19.

ads