Poor economy keeps Xmas celebrations modest<\/p>\n
Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
This year at Christmas, three-year-old Melia will have to make do
\nwith only a single dress. Her mother, Kasmiati, 40, used to buy
\nher daughter three to four dresses for Christmas before.<\/p>\n
"We are not in a good economic condition this year," Kasmiati
\ntold The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Kasmiati, who is a Protestant, has also not prepared any
\nspecial dish to celebrate Christmas or decorated the house with
\nChristmas ornaments which she used to do previously.<\/p>\n
"What else can we do? We hardly have enough money to live on,"
\nshe said bitterly.<\/p>\n
Still, she expressed gratitude that her family was spared from
\nthe tsunami, despite having to live in cramped quarters at the
\nSmep Peunayong barracks in Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
Observing Christmas this year saddens her as it reminds her of
\nthe disaster that struck the day after Christmas last year.<\/p>\n
"It was the last Christmas our family celebrated together in
\nthe comfort of a home," said Kasmiati.<\/p>\n
Besides her, there are five other Protestant families who live
\nin the barracks, none of which have prepared anything special for
\nChristmas.<\/p>\n
"All the Christmas activities are focussed on the church this
\nyear. Together we will remember our fellow Christians who
\nperished," said Kasmiati's neighbor, Veronika, a Catholic.<\/p>\n
Kasmiati and Veronika intend to bring their families to the
\nlocal church to attend a Christmas service on Dec. 25.<\/p>\n
Priska, 22, from Kampung Jawa, who is now living at a
\nrelatives' house, will celebrate Christmas in a simple way.<\/p>\n
"We have a small Christmas tree, but this Christmas will be
\nvery different because I lost two members of my family in the
\ntsunami, my father and brother," said Priska.<\/p>\n
Despite 98 percent of the population being Muslims, there are
\npeople of other faiths in Aceh, such as Christians. Most of them
\nare Chinese-Indonesians or come from North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
According to Father Ferdinando, 70, head of the Hati Kudus
\n(Sacred Heart) Catholic church, of the 450 Catholics and
\nProtestants in Aceh, 35 Protestants died in the tsunami in Banda
\nAceh, and five in Meulaboh.<\/p>\n
The church plans to hold a simple Christmas service. "We will
\nonly celebrate Christmas Mass and a modest dinner at the church,"
\nsaid Ferdinando in Banda Aceh recently.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/poor-economy-keeps-xmas-celebrations-modest-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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