First Christmas in Penang

      Sometimes it's the thought that counts.  Penang does Christmas much better than I thought it would.  Last week the local supermarket stopped playing Bollywood music and started playing nostalgic Christmas carols.  And this charming, if bizarre little manger scene appeared at a nearby charity home.  It's nothing if not multi-cultural! 


         In case you're curious about what's inside, I'll attach a close-up photo, too.  As you can see, the Mother Mary has been replaced by an "apsara" (dancing celestial maidens in the Hindu religion.)   Joseph is represented by a garden figurine who might just be Tom Sawyer.   The Baby Jesus has lost his bottle and has blue eyes and a hand-knit sweater (though it's 91 degrees F. and about 33 degrees C. around here these days.)


    I'm not quite sure what the cheerleading pompoms represent, but I presume the water bottles are weights to keep the whole affair from flying away in the wind.  And on top of the palm frond roof, there are little wisps of cotton that probably represent the snow that might have been present the night of Jesus' birth (?)


     It's certainly naive and charming in its own way.   Obviously a lot of tender loving care was invested in gathering the components and setting it all up.  This certainly wasn't made in China of molded plastic lit up inside and sold at your local Wal-Mart. But you just have to see it to believe it.