Santa Claus is coming…to Marsiling. His non present-gifting equivalent, that is.
Channel NewsAsia found out about all-round good guy Mr Tan Koon Tat, a 56-year-old carpenter has been putting up decorations in a small corner of his car park for the last decade. And it’s not just for Christmas either — he does the same on holidays like Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali, National Day and Christmas.
His latest masterpiece, a 2.2-metre-tall snowman is on full display accompanied by sculptures and a Christmas tree covered in snow, and will stay until early January according to Channel NewsAsia’s feature.
His reason for doing so? He hopes that Singaporeans “will stay in Singapore to soak up the festivities and not travel overseas” and that “instead of spending money alone travelling, I might as well spend it on the decorations and let fellow residents be happy”.
Bless you, Mr Tan.
The costs for his efforts don’t come cheap, and it really does show. One set of decors can reach a whopping $5,000, and that’s not even taking electricity bills – they’re plugged in directly from his own home that adds an approximate amount of $100 into account.
When offered assistance to share the burdens of the expenses, he repotedly refused, saying “I want to do whatever I can within my own means”.
This impressive display of spirit, however, hasn’t prevented vandals or thieves from undermining his efforts. But Tan isn’t deterred, as he’d already prepared himself for such scenarios, and has spares to replace damaged or lost decors.
“The purpose of putting up these decorations is to bring a smile to their faces. If I raise my voice at them, it is meaningless. I just want them to be happy,” he said.
You can look out for the Woodlands Winterland at Block 179 along Woodlands Street 13. Consider this our way of expressing gratitude for your contribution, Mr Tan.
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