SINGAPOREANS: While many in multi-faith Singapore are celebrating Christmas under the bright lights with good food and wine, some are celebrating it differently.

Ang Kim Huat is spending Christmas in Little India, providing meals for the homeless and unemployed migrants.

Said Mr Ang: "For these Bangladeshis who have been out of a job and who are hungry, there are people who said we should do something for them to be in a festive mood. Christmas is supposed to be about giving, that's why we are here today. Sometimes you look into their pockets, there's really nothing in them. And the food that we give, we have to really specially package it because they need a lot of rice and we try to give them a lot of rice.”

Mr Ang and his charity group will be providing meals for these men for the next few weeks.

Xavier Chung is another Singaporean who’s celebrating Christmas differently. He is a novice friar in the midst of his eight-year training.

As part of the Catholic religious order which embraces voluntary poverty, he spends his Christmas in prayer and reflection.

But being an active man in his twenties, this is sometimes hard.

He said: "For me it is sad that I’m not able to celebrate with them especially in parties, dinners, especially attending mass with them. But I spend time pondering the meaning rather than previously rushing off to get presents and meeting friends."

But for the few who spend Christmas indoors, many more are defying the economic gloom to take a break away from home.

Many Singaporeans are giving Bangkok a miss this time round and are headed to the land of the rising Asian Dragon.

Ruth Lim, manager, Marketing & Communications, Sino-America Tours, said: "The take-up rate for Vietnam is very healthy this year. In fact there're just pocket of seats left. We're very happy to say Singaporeans enjoy going there."

Some tour agencies have seen 90 per cent of seats sold out for the year. They added that over the November, December period, they've seen a rise of more than 50 per cent over last year.

And since launching trips to Uzbekistan recently, SA Tours said they've received several enquires from Singaporeans eager to visit more exotic pockets of the globe. - CNA/vm