December is my favourite month of the year. Second only to March, which is my birthday month.

Growing up, the final term school holidays was in December. Seven weeks of freedom, starting in middle November. The whole of December was ‘cuti time.’

As a working adult, December was when office parties and get-togethers were held, at least where I worked. From the 15th onwards, things started to wind down. Fewer corporate announcements. Generally, there was slower business news coverage except for the extraordinary events. Many people went away on their year-end holidays. There was a lightness in the air, or maybe, it was just in my head😊.

I also like December because of Christmas. The festive decorations. Chirpy, cheerful carols. Christmas chocolates, cookies, and cakes. And, the annual buffet lunch treat that my husband and I look forward to on Christmas day.

This year, I made the reservation in middle November because I feared not getting booked in. We’ve been left out in the cold a few times when I’ve been not late, just not-early enough with the reservations. Far from cheap by any measure, bookings for Christmas lunch at our first-choice hotel were already closed when I called.

In keeping with past years, the decorations adorning the city are grand, and grander. Many-meter tall trees, chalet-sized beautifully lit baubles, carousels (a feature in at least two shopping malls), reindeers, bigger than life-sized Santa Clauses, and gifts galore.

Lots of mullah, resources, and time have been invested to create these magical environments. Naturally, with the aim of attracting customers, visitors, and tourists to participate in the merry-making, and gift buying and giving. Generally good as they contribute positively to company coffers and government revenues.

In amongst the celebratory atmosphere, there is also the not-so-nice. Not the not-so-nice about Christmas or at Christmas but the not-so-nice that I see every day. The homeless. They make their ‘homes’ at the LRT station, on the flyover bridges, outside/near shopping malls and offices, along the quieter as well as high people-traffic streets. There are both men and women, but generally more men. Probably 40 years and upwards.

Homelessness is not a choice. I cannot imagine anyone wants to live sans a roof over their heads, without money in their wallets or food in their stomachs. Some of the homeless ask for money. Some don’t say anything but have bowls or containers near them.

Most of them are clean, and neatly dressed in t-shirts, shirts and even long sleeves. They look like they have had showers and have had their clothes washed. Where, I don’t know. And, they have bags that probably contain all their belongings that sometimes double up as their headrest or pillow. They are mostly quiet, keep to themselves, and have vacant stares.

My husband and I see them when we go out for dinner in the evenings and during the day at weekends and some week days. We intermittently speak about the possible whys and hows that got them into this situation. Loss of work. Family estrangement. Abusive environment. Mental and health issues. Addiction. Whatever the reasons, it’s a distressing and frightening position to be in.  

I approached an elderly man in his 70’s, who lives on one of the two overhead bridges, along Jalan Ampang. Soft spoken, he told me he left his hometown of Ipoh about 40 years ago. He has two sons whom he hasn’t kept in contact with. No mention of a wife. What happened? Who knows? Has he been living rough for four decades?

I didn’t want to pry but it troubled me that at his age he was alone without security or people who care for or about him. He doesn’t beg but relies on money/handouts for food and to stay alive, yes, to stay alive. The last time we saw him, his face was gaunt, and he was asleep on some newspapers inside the flyover bridge.

There is another younger man, who looks like he probably used to work in an office. Dressed in long sleeves and pants, it took us a while to realise, he was homeless. He looks physically well albeit growing thinner.

There are many social organisations and civil societies that offer support and assistance to the homeless,  urban poor, and refugees. There are also government initiatives that provide temporary shelters, food, and training to help people get back on their feet, and hopefully become self-sustaining.

I do what I can. I donate to charities. I go to the bank to get cash (cashless payments are increasingly prevalent) so I can give money to the homeless, and whomever on the streets, who could use a bit of help. Of course, more can and needs to be done.

I think about … how the homeless and the have-less think and feel when they see the decorations, celebrations, and other people around them.