Ask 80-year-old Maurice Sta Maria about Christmas at the Portuguese Settlement in Malacca and he will vehemently point out that celebrations in recent years are characterised by numerous commercial aspects and merry-making while the religious and traditional facets remain somewhat latent.
“It's high time we move away from the Xmas festival to a truly Christmas feast to appreciate more the significance of the season and approach it as a step in the growth and development of our Christian lives,” said Maurice, one of the most senior residents of the settlement established in the 1930s.
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