Caring and sharing

LIKE most families in Singapore, Jason Lee and his wife Vera are making some changes to their Christmas plans this year.

For at least the past five years on Dec 23 or 24, the founder of artisanal fragrance label Six and his dentist wife will host a group of eight women and their families - with the number growing bigger each year whenever a new baby is added. This year, things are a little different. With fewer visitors allowed in a household, the Lees will be hosting smaller but more frequent parties to accommodate their friends. "It may be a good thing after all. Each session will be more intimate and we will have more time to catch up," says Mr Lee. "Some friends will be here for afternoon tea instead of dinner or lunch."

For Dr Lee, the tradition of having her girlfriends over is something that she will never give up. "I've always celebrated Christmas with these girlfriends whom I've known since school days," she says. "It all started many years ago, when a girlfriend decided to host a grand Christmas party. We enjoyed it so much that we now do it every year."

The meal is a shared affair. Dr Lee is tasked with ordering the turkey and ham from Tanglin Club, while a girlfriend brings a tomahawk steak. Another friend is in charge of the cheese platter.

The celebrations start early so the kids can have a dip in the pool before dinner, and the night ends with a gift exchange. Their kids, Jedd, four, Jann, three, enjoy the party too. This year is also their youngest's - eight-month-old Jyll - first Christmas.

On Christmas Day, Mr Lee would spend the day on the shop floor, especially as he expects it to be even busier, with a second store opening soon. "There is usually manpower shortage during the festive season, so I help out whenever I can," he says.

As a good host, his wife ensures that their four-bedroom apartment off Stevens Road is properly decked out. "I leave the decorating to Vera because she is the expert at this, and I stay out of the way," he says with a laugh.

Dr Lee says that it has always been her family tradition to decorate the home for Christmas. "My mum loves hosting and she goes all out, down to specific coloured tableware for the occasion," she says. The family will also head over to her mum's home for a meal on Christmas Day itself.

This year, Dr Lee has picked a gold and silver theme, filling the tree with baubles, acorns, poinsettias and ribbons.

She often browses Pinterest regularly for ideas, and depending on her mood and trend for that season, she would plan the colours and look of the entire house accordingly.

This year, she put up a garland over the television and a wreath in the foyer, with smaller decorative ornaments on various side consoles. And instead of observing the 12 days of Christmas, the decorations stay up until close to Chinese New Year. "We spend so much effort, so I like to keep them up as long as I can," she says.

While his wife is in charge of the decor, Mr Lee plays his part by ensuring that the home is well scented. Naturally, he uses scents from Six, which he started in 2016. He recommends using a reed diffuser because the scent can cover a larger area in a short time.

When it comes to Christmas shopping, Dr Lee also takes charge. "The number of presents to get for my friends' children grows each year, so I start looking for gifts in October," she says. The savvy shopper makes the most of the 11.11, Black Friday and 12.12 sales, when she stockpiles presents and also any ornaments for last minute decorations. Her girlfriends, though, often receive customised fragrances from Six.

In the past years, the family would fly out on Boxing Day for a short holiday in the region. Last year, they went to Taiwan and a few years ago, they were in Hoi An. "We picked kid-friendly places to go to," says Mr Lee. They had plans to go to Korea for the year-end holiday, but have had to cancel.

Dr Lee hopes to one day bring her kids to experience a wintry Christmas. Her favourite Christmas memory is one of visiting her extended family in Canada. "I still remember going down the mountain on a sled," she recalls. "Hopefully, we can do that soon with the kids."

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