Lunch on Dec 25th 208

For Christians here in Melbourne, yesterday is their big day. It was the Christmas.

Disclaimer: I am not celebrating the Christmas day.

Since I am still in Melbourne, I had the opportunity to see how Melbourne folks celebrate their Christmas.

As of for me, I planned to stay at the company's apartment and watched television. Surely there are many interesting movies would be on air on Christmas day. However, someone had ruined my plan... ;-) he he he, I am joking... A senior officer in the company's head quarters in Melbourne invited me to join his family lunch in Christmas. Honestly, originally, I plan to decline his invitation. However, thinking that this is a very good and interesting experience for me, I accept the invitation with excitement.

So, on the Christmas day, just before afternoon, I waited outside the company's apartment. With me, I brought a piece of chicken Maryland of which I bought from a halal shop (Richmond Halal Butcher Shop). The officer, Shawn, arrived with his family (his beautiful wife and two little cute son and daughter), and we then headed to his parents' house at Richmond.

When we arrived, his father was preparing the lunch. They also have a turkey for Christmas cook in a weber since 9am in the morning. They also wrapped my chicken Maryland with aluminium foil and put it in the weber, together with the turkey. Before having the turkey (and my chicken Maryland), we eat seafood consist of prawn and salmon fish meat. I eat all the prawn and salmon fish meat given to me. However, I think, they are not cook, and it was served rawly. Hurmm... I don't remember if I ever have eaten raw prawn of fish, but I am sure... having it cook will make it taste better (to me).

Then, it is time to have the turkey. For me, I will have the chicken Maryland instead of the turkey. I barely eat the chicken without flavor, so put on a little bit of salt and pepper. Of the family members commented to me that the people from my country used to eat spicy food with hot chillies.

Then, they served a plum pudding cake. I had the honor to be the first to cut it with a knife. They took a picture of me, and I will receive the picture by email later on. I had a portion of the plum pudding too. Normally, they have the plum pudding with some alcohol like brandy. Of course, I don't have it and they graciously prepare a non-alcohol creamer to be eaten with the plum pudding. The plum pudding id full of flavor. It is very hard for me to eat it. However, I insisted on finishing the pudding. Shawn's mother told me that I can have ice cream with the pudding, I accepted. Eating it with ice cream did help me finish the pudding.

From conversation with Shawn, I was told that having turkey and plum pudding is traditional thing to do for Christmas. During the lunch visit, I also had the opportunity to see a Christmas tree in the living area of the house. There are also plenty of gifts at the bottom of the tree. Previously, I only had seen it in movies and TV, but that is the first time for me to see it live.

At the lunch, Shawn sent me back to the company's apartment. I thanked him for inviting me to his Christmas lunch with his family. This is one of the experience that is had for me to forget. And surely, if he were to be in Malaysia during Eidil-Fitri festival, I will be gladly invite him to Eidil-Fitri open house event. ;-)