Oh, busy busy busy again...I haven't had time to visit other people's blogs. I'm trying to bake some chocolate-filled buns now and after that I have to study before my Finnish class starts. There are only 6 classes left to go this year.
Anyway, the other day my brother sent me his scanned wedding invitations so I could share them with my best friends. As you all know, he's getting married on December 8th. Apparently December is quite a busy month for weddings, since he's got 5 wedding invitations already that month.
The first thing that I don't miss from Indonesia is the HORRIBLE traffic. The second thing is the many wedding invitations he he he he...The more people you know, the bigger the chance is for you to get a wedding invitation. And it's impolite not to come, except if you really have a good excuse (for example you get sick, you're out of town, or your own sibling has a wedding on the same date and time). Even if you can't come, it's improper not to give anything, so you're bound to find someone who can come to the wedding party and ask him/her to bring your angpao (envelope with money in it.) My parents sometimes sigh deeply when they get 4 wedding invitations on the same month 'coz it means they have to spend more money that month for weddings alone.
I'm not saying that I don't want to be invited to wedding parties, but in Indonesia it can be really tough sometimes to go to one wedding party to another. I don't think there's a year passing by without at least a few wedding invitations for my parents. When your financial condition is okay, then it's not a big deal to get a few wedding invitations per month, but when you don't even have too much money for your daily necessities, then it becomes quite a burden.
I must say that I don't expect to be invited in any wedding party at all here in Finland, since most of the time the brides and grooms only invite their VERY CLOSE relatives and friends. Besides, over here people can just live together without getting married or they can just have a civil service without throwing a party. Over here, inviting 50 people as wedding guests is considered A LOT he he he...In Indonesia, inviting only 50 people is considered IMPOSSIBLE HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...
OK, gotta get back to my dough now. I sure hope it rises well he he he...Talk to you later, dudes and girls! ;-D
wow.. no wonder I rarely see you around my blog these days. These days my shout box is like a private chat room between me and janice!
ReplyDeletehee hee.. Have fun. Weddings are always sweet.
Have a nice time.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
WaterLearner: He he he...OK, I'll bombard your chatbox with my messages then. *wink*
ReplyDeleteSurjit: THANKS!!! But I won't be going back to Indonesia for his wedding he he he...
I found this very interesting. We have a hard enough time with money around the Holidays let alone adding several weddings at once.
ReplyDeleteKasper: Yeah, that's true...but fortunately Christians in Indo don't exchange gifts with one another and they don't give gifts to kids he he he...
ReplyDeleteHey Amelia,
ReplyDeleteLoved this post! :).
I laughed when you said that inviting 50 people in Indo is impossible...in Portugal, is IMPOSSIBLE too!!! Just ask me lol lol...
In Africa, inviting 50 only would be an insult, cause my family alone is comprised of 90 people...yep, that's right..!
December the 8th is a bank holiday here (a catholic holiday)! I wish all the best to your brother :).
Cheers
Max: HE HE HE HE HE...I understand what you mean, esp. you have a big family ha ha ha...so you're gonna have a HUGE wedding!!!
ReplyDeleteDecember 8th is a bank holiday? THX for your well wishes for my brother. That's all he needs, that everything is smooth and everybody's healthy. ;-D
Yah, I know what you mean. It can be quite bad for those people here working in a big corporation with many colleagues. These young couples like to hold the dinners in posh restaurants and people who are invited have to give a bigger angbao!
ReplyDeleteBlur Ting: Exactly the problem. If they hold the dinner in fancy hotels, we'll want to give an appropriate amount of money, but sometimes it's too hard he he...
ReplyDeleteYeah, same goes here in M'sia. 50 people?!! Everyone will keep wondering what kind of wedding is that. However, more people become understanding now.
ReplyDeleteJust last week, our friend got married and hubby went alone with a friend coz I wasn't feeling well, but of course, 'angpow' again. Next week, another friend of mine is getting married...so, 'angpow' again...he he he...It's like paying for our meals!! LOL!! But of course, me, myself, love to receive 'angpow'...
ha ha ha...
Sometimes, it depends on the venue of the wedding. If they do the reception at restaurants or hotels, then, hubby and I will give 'angpow', but if it is a house wedding, we'll decide either to bring a wedding gift or 'angpow' he he he...
Choc Mint Girl: Nobody in Indo has a house wedding except for Moslems (sometimes they do that). But yeah, due to the inflation these days, people will be more understanding if they don't invite too many people.
ReplyDeleteSome people opt to invite people to church and then only invite their closest family members to the restaurant to have a small wedding reception.