[!Assignment Part C]

Well,none of us really celebrates Deepavali or also known as the Festival Of Light but we think that it is an interesting and special event.We hope that you could get to know this special festival more better since none of us in the class celebrates Deepavali..haha:P

Deepavali or Diwali,is a major Hindu holiday.It is a significant festival in Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Adherents of these faiths celebrate Diwali as the Festival of Lights. They light diyas—cotton-like string wicks inserted in small clay pots filled with coconut oil—to signify victory of good over the evil within an individual.

The five day festival of Diwali occurs on the new moon between October 13-November 14. On the Hindu calendar it is centered on the new moon day that ends the month of Asvina and begins the month of Kartika, beginning on the 13th day of the dark half of Asvina (Asvina 28th) and ending on the 2nd day of the bright half of Kartika (Kartika 2nd). The main day of celebration varies regionally.

In Hinduism, across many parts of India and Nepal, it is the homecoming of Lord Ram of Ayodhya, after a 14-year exile in the forest and his victory over the evil demon-king Ravana.In the legend, the people of Ayodhya (the capital of his kingdom) welcomed Ram by lighting rows (avali) of lamps (deepa), thus its name: Deepavali. Over time, this word transformed into Diwali in Hindi and Dipawali in Nepali, but still retained its original form in South and East Indian Languages.

Wow!What a fascinating festival and bright festival!..We think that the concept of light is really unique and innovative..Its really suitable for the lights to symbolise this special festival..The tale about the good and eveil Ram and Ravana was also interesting.It really fascinates us on how the good scacrifise to win over the bad..We really admire the braveness of Ram..(:

yonghui's(30) lit project Part B

I felt that Jess did not celebrate an enjoyable Christmas with his family. His relationship with his sisters, Ellie and Brenda were bad. If Jess had given them presents for Christmas, they would have laughed at him but Leslie would not. As for my family, we are satisfied with whatever presents we recieved from our family, friends and also, our relatives.

Jess's father had given him a racing-car set as his Chirstmas present. However, the car did not run quite well and he started cursing it with impatience. In the end, he gave up and kicked the floor dangerously near the track, saying "cheap junk". This showed how bad-tempered his father was and not caring the feelings of Jess even when it is Christmas. My father would have try to fix it and assure me that it will be okay instead of Jess's father actions such as flaring up his temper.

Jess had always spent more time with Leslie rather than his family as he get along better with Leslie instead of his parents and sisters. As for my family, we think that family are more important than friends and we should treasure the most joyous time we had such as Christmas events or others. Ellie and Brenda only cared for themselves and always leave household chores for Jess to do it. My family, bonded together, will do everything together as the 'one and only family'. =D We shared happiness, troubles and problems we had instead of Jess's family which doesn't care much about one other. Hope our relationship would not become like Jess's family. ^^

Nadhirah Mohd Rapi(15) Part B

From my experience,i really think my family had a really great bonding as compared to Jess.. This colud be because they are not really bothered about each other..Its like everyone in Jess's family mind their own business,they are not that concern about each other.It really sad to see any family being in that way..As a family,we should always be togather just like the phrase 'one for all,all for one'..We shold always be with our family through both happy and bad times.

I could also see that Jess's family has a really poor family bonding.Their releationship with each other is really weak.They do not spent their spare time together nor do they take the opportunity to sit down and eat dinner as one family.Jess family also do not demonstrate the meaning of being a family.They are like strangers living in the same house all eith thier own separate lives..Even during Christmas,we could see that they do not have much time for each other.For example,Jess spent his christmas with Leslie than spending it with his family.

In Jess family,they all think only about thier own life and problems.They do not open up and shares their stories together.As example,both of Jess's sister always quarrel ampng themselves and Jess being the only guy in the family are always being left out.Jess is also being forced to do all the households.I think,the whole family could do the household together to bond their releationship even closer.It would not be fair for Jess alone to do all the household everyday..

Lastly,my symphatise goes to him for not having the quality time between him and his father like other son and dad do.He is always alone doing all the work.I think his dad could take some time off to have more time with Jess.It would be really miserable to look back at your childhood and sees no happy memories together with your family.Jess's dad should priorities his family more than his work...

In conclusion,Jess family is a totally different family from mine.I really hope that my family would maintain and improve this releationship..(:

Nurin Farisah(17) part b

Jess celebrates Christmas with Leslie and does not really bond with his family as compared to my family who celebrate Hari Raya together.. Jess's family seem to be avoiding each other and this is not something that would never happen in my family(:
Jess's family does not celebrate Christmas together and this is something that is very bad. This also shows how bad their relationship between one another. As for my family,we try our best to make time for each other and try our hardest to spend time together.
Jess's family do not spend time together often and this is not good as family members need to communicate and bond with one another. As the only guy in his siblings, Jess was forced to do all the household chores while his sisters relax and do nothing. This is not fair for Jess. My family on the other hand, always do the chores together and bond even by celebrating all occasions and celebrations together. Jess's family does not spend quality time together and their celebrations are not happening and in happy mode.

Nadhirah Mohd Rapi (15)

I am sure everyone is looking forward to celebrates special festivals together with their families.As muslims,my family and i celebrates Hari Raya Puasa.It comes once a year in the Muslim month of Syawal after a month of fasting in the muslim month of Ramadhan.



For my family,we would usually prepare the night before Hari Raya.On the eve of Hari Raya,as a family,we would gather and do the ketupat together.Ketupat is a traditional malay food that would be served on Hari Raya to our relatives and friends. It is made up of rice that is put together in pandan leaves.We wolud have to weaves the ketupat leaves before puting in the rice.Usually on the first day of Hari Raya,my mum and i would wait for my brothers and my father to come home from their prayers at the mosque.While waiting for them,we would usually prepare some of the malay traditional dishes like rendang,ketupat,lontong,satay,chicken curry and many more...

After my dad and brothers completed their prayers,we would then go to my grandparents house.There,all my relatives meet.We would exchange our thoughts and experience together since we seldom gather as a big family.Then,we would eat all the dishes that has been prepared. Not forgetting also all the kuehs that my grandma made(: She always had my favourite which is the pineapple tart or kueh tat..As a big happy family,we would sit down cracking jokes among each other and take pictures together.

Just by seeing my family all bond together,could make a smile on my face.(: Its really pleasant and nice to see all of us happily together since we always have not much time together due to our daily activities..I hope that my family would not only get together on special occasions but also everyday eventhough our schedelude are always pack and busy..I also hope that parents could spent more time with their families than thier work in this fast changing city of Singapore..In conclusion,we should treassure every moment with our families as thoose moments are priceless and irreplaceable!.. :D

nurin farisah(17)

My family and i celebrate hari raya..!
On the first day of hari raya, the guys need to go to the mosque to do their prayers. Ladies could also do their prayers in the mosque but my mother, sisters and i, just do our own prayers at home.. After completing our prayers, my family and i would get ready to go to my grandmother's house which is located at Bukit Panjang to have a family gathering.. My cousins, aunties and uncles would be there too.
After all of us have ate our foodsuch as ketupat,lontong,rendang and sambal udang(sambal prawn), we would sit down and talk among ourselves.. Its really fun bonding with my cousins. We would talk about school, studies and family..
After all the fun, we would apologise for all our sins and bad things that we may have done or purposely done to our family members. My grandmother would tear alot as she was touched by all her childsren, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.. I too, would feel sad emotions possessing me but i would try my best not to tear on this happy occasion.
After all the fun and laughters, it would be time for us to part.. Its really saddening to part after all the joy and tears we shared.. My grandmother, my grandfather, aunties, uncles and my married cousins would give us green packets,containing money!(: Thats the part im waiting for..hehe..
When i reach home, i would hand all my money for my mother to keep. If i needed money, i would ask her for my money that she kept.. After that, i would wash up and change to my home clothes.. Before sleeping, i would reflect on the special occasion we had earlier that day.. I would feel happy, sastisfied and thankful to god for this great day(:

Literature Project Part b) (Faiz)

Christmas was not "complete" for Jess. Both Brenda and Ellie teased him about not having a girlfriend. They thought that Leslie was not a girl, due to her clothes that she wore. Jess was so frustrated as they had insulted her. His family was shortage of allowance too.
On Christmas Eve, he had not followed his family for last-minute shopping. Instead, he had met up with Leslie, and had given her a puppy as a gift,named Prince Terrien(P.T),which he had bought for free. This shows lack of family love towards each other for Jess's case. Leslie gave him a box of watercolours, which includes other art materials. What a great present it was for Jess.
That night, he helped May Belle wrap her gifts and even pleased Joyce Ann, as she was crying about Santa would not come. He received a racing-car set from his father, which he ran it. The cars kept falling off the curves, which made him mad, but Jess tried pleasing him. His mother even told him to do the milking immediately.
This family does not have peace and lack of family planning. It can be seen that Brenda and Ellie kept provoking Jess, which he prefered to celebrate the day with Leslie and not followed his family go shopping. He also had to milk Miss Bessie that very night. He actually cares about his family, but only May Belle acknowledge him. They had not pay much attention to him and gave him something he did not really loved, the racing-car set. Leslie had the perfect gift for him, which was the art materials and who had only knew him for a few days. Unlike their family,mine would rather spend the day together and bought gifts that everyone could be proud of and do the household chores together on the eve of Hari Raya Puasa.

yonghui's(30) lit project part A

My family had celebrated a wonderful Christmas on December last year. We exchanged Christmas presents with our neighbors, relatives and friends; we also wrote Christmas cards to one another for well wishes and wished each other good luck and a Merry Christmas.

Next, we went to Christmas carols where many people would sing lots of Christmas carol songs. Some popular lyrics are, “We wish u a Merry Christmas”, “Jingle Bells”, “Silent Night” and lots more.

We bought a Christmas tree and decorate it with lightings in our house too. We also bought a chocolate cake to celebrate Christmas day. Together in our family, we sang the song “We wish u a Merry Christmas” and ate the cake happily. We also planned to go to a country a few days later where there is snow as many children loves to play with snow too.

I think that this is the most memorable celebration my family had ever had especially when we celebrate it among our own family. The point of Christmas celebration is also to take the darkest, coldest, hardest, dreariest time of year, and celebrate light, life, hope, giving, caring and togetherness. Our family relationships became more united and joyful too! :D

Hazim's Lit Project Part B

During Hari Raya, most of my relatives visited my house but for Jess, during Christmas, none of his relatives came to his house. Jess celebrates his Christmas at his house without his family together. He also had to do the chores like milking Miss Bessie, and more. But during Hari Raya, I do not have to do any chores as all the works was done on the eve of Hari Raya.

He was poor and could not afford many gifts for his family members. Although Jess's family was poor, his sisters still receives gifts from their friends but jess also got a present from his father which had bought him a racing-car set but he was angry as the car kept falling off the curve. Jess appreciated his dad for buying him the car although his father was not happy with it.

Jess also received a gift from Leslie which was a box of watercolours with twenty-four tubes of colour and three brushes and a pad of heavy art paper. Before that, Jess had gave Leslie a dog which he bought for free. Leslie decided to name him Prince Terrien or P.T. in short. He, his family members and Leslie exchanges gifts but in my tradition during Hari Raya, my aunties and uncles gave me money rather than gifts.

Hazim's Lit Project Part A

Hari Raya was a memorable event every year. Last year, I celebrate it with my familiy. When i woke up on that day, i went to the mosque to pray after bathing and putting on my traditional clothes, which is part of the tradition, then, when i got back home, i had my breakfast. After that, i put on my malay clothes, which is different from the previous one. I was eager to wear it as it was brand new. When we are ready, we took a family picture which is my family's tradition. After taking pictures, we apologise to our parents for the mistakes we have done over the year. Sametimes, we shed tears as we remembered the times that fought with our own family members.

After that, we went to my grandparents house. We also apologised to them and my relatives. We stayed until it reached the afternoon. During the afternoon, we visited my realatives house which is altogether 8 if i remembered. It was tiring as we had to go to many houses.Then, when they went to our house, which is the last one, it was already 8pm but wecelebrated until it was an hour before midnight. During that time, me and my relatives played game, watch tv and do other stuff that kids do when they are still young while my parents and aunties and uncles had long hours of conversation which is really boring.

Then we finished the day by having by shaking hands with our relatives all my aunts and uncles gave me money which makes me blissful. I was elated to receive that money and i want to be all alone with them so when my last relative to go wave goodbye, i went straight to my room and started summing them up. What a joyous day it is during Hari Raya Puasa.

Literature Project Part a) (Faiz)

My family had celebrated Hari Raya Puasa together with thrills of joy and sincerity last year. During the one month period, we had never tried to speak negatively and had acted in a polite manner each time we visited our relatives' and friends' houses. We were supposed to seek forgiveness from them for any bad deeds we had done to them,either verbally or relationally.
On the first day of the occasion, my father and I dressed up similarly to express ourselves as close father and son before we headed to the mosque to pray. At the mosque itself, dozens of eyes stared at us both. I just faked smiles at them as I was speechless at that moment .
When we had done with our prayers and returned home, all my family members sat at the seats in the house and started apologising to each other. Some of us, especially my mother, cried while apologising. This shows true sincerity and deeply wanting to rid the bad deeds. I'm proud of my mother as I knew that usually the younger ones in the family would commonly commit mistakes while she rarely scold us.
We visited our grandparents firstly,then the others. My cousins and I ate,watched television,played video games and,of course, we received MONEY! It was a very auspicious day for us,after fasting for a month. This symbalizes our victory and I was happy, being able to celebrate it with my beloved family.