MELAKA: The Portuguese Settlement here is all-agog to make Christmas merrier for children after the annual tradition for the “little revellers” had been put on hold for the past three years due to Covid-19.
The settlement's community development and safety committee head Marina Danker said preparations were being made to host a Christmas party in the next few days and her organising team is hoping to woo hundreds of local kids to join the event.
“We will turn this Yuletide into a joyful occasion for the children and the rings of jingle bells will reverberate more greatly at the settlement this year,” she said in an interview on Sunday (Dec 11).
Danker said the toys and food would be also distributed to the children and those who are interested to join the party can buy the coupons.
“We will organise the Christmas events at the settlement with whatever resources are available and we welcome sponsors to make the festive season more meaningful for the kids.
“The annual Christmas celebration at Portuguese Settlement is set to be merrier this year with various events being planned,” she said.
Danker said the decoration work to turn the settlement into a Christmas fairyland would start by this weekend.
"The spirit of Yuletide will not relent and decorations at the homes of revellers will adorn the Settlement like in the previous years," she said.
Danker said this year's celebration would also witness the community and local leaders coming together collectively to celebrate Christmas.
She said she always believed in uniting the community and would invite leaders from all political divides to turn the Yuletide into a memorable one.
“We welcome all to the country's only traditional Portuguese village.
"The usual activities and performances during the Christmas season will be continued," she said.
She said Christmas this year would be a lively affair despite there being no major sponsors who have come forward to co-organise events or a large-scale celebration.
Danker said Christmas would be turned into a meaningful celebration at the settlement and would continue to be a tourist attraction during the festive season.
She said an annual event for elderly folks at the settlement would also be organised once there was a sponsor.
Danker said the community would also continue their legacy of holding prayer sessions during the Yuletide season.
It is a customary practice for settlers to light up the settlement, a week before Christmas to showcase multiple Yuletide decorations to thousands of visitors and foreigners who would usually throng the site to witness a colourful celebration.
The 11.2ha settlement of 118 homes is considered the cradle of Christmas celebration with predominantly 1,200 Catholic revellers.
