My Ideal Christmas

December 12, 2021

Merry Christmas, first of all. A countdown to this most anticipated event of the year has come. As it falls on the 12th day, what can you remember? 12 days of Christmas, does it ring the bell? Yes, for sure. As it is a famous Christmas song. But let me ask you, can you still remember all the gifts mentioned in the song? I guess others can't. And that includes me, lol. Two turtle doves, three French hens, four calling birds, five golden rings, these are the gifts in the song that are easy to remember, haha.

Year-round joy, a Christmas brings to everyone, from kids to adults, rich or poor. And we always wish it would be just Christmas every day. Can we have it? I wish we could. Because it would be happy and there would be no toxic vibes that will be formed. Just love and joy.

Ideally, we always want our Christmas to be happy, and we wish that all our wishes would be granted. Realistically, the current situation of the world seems to impede some of our wishes. For instance, we wish to have a Christmas vacation with our family but we can't travel far due to some restrictions.

Damages have been done as well by this invisible monster that devoured so many lives around the world. It's been two years now that we are fighting against it and wishing to end this battle sooner, not later, so we could have a normal life again and a merrier Christmas. Moreover, it also robbed not only the lives of millions of people but also the jobs. Sadly to say, not all are happy this Christmas as others do not have enough money in their pockets, nor food on their tables.

Everyone should be happy, not just those who can afford to have it because it's Christmas! And that's always the ideal Christmas of any one of us around the world, especially the poor ones. Yet, money isn't the only the solution to achieve a happy Christmas. Just having a complete and healthy family, it's already a reason to be happy, and that is priceless.

Annually, our family only celebrates Christmas at home, not elsewhere. But I did dream to have a Christmas vacation with them somewhere beautiful. Like abroad or in one of the beautiful tourist destinations in my home country, such as Palawan, Boracay, Cebu, or just within our province, on the Canigao island or what they called, little Boracay. And remembering my wishes when I was very young, they're forming curves on my lips. That was during those days when we're starting to live on our own.

Long time ago, in a secluded part of Samar, somewhere in Eastern Visayas Philippines. A little girl living in a nipa hut situated in the middle of trees dreamed of having a magical Christmas. They have no neighbors, no Christmas tree, no lights, no TV, thus, no electricity. And so she only envisioned Christmas based on what she experienced back when they were still living in her grandmother's house and from the stories told by the folks.

Clinging with her small pillow, she was looking out of the window and staring at her mother's plants imagining what she wants for Christmas. She does know about Santa and how he looks like, as she once saw him on the TV show in her grandmother's house. She knows his reindeer Rudolph from the Christmas song she heard. She knows where he lives and that's somewhere snowy, cold, but with colorful lights and toys.

His sleigh was looking magical when it spread glittering dust as it fly Santa into the sky. And the little girl dreamed to ride on his sleigh as well together with her young lonely mother as her father was always on duty even on Christmas day. She dreamed of visiting Santa's house and asking for toys from him and she would give some to her brothers.

Randomly she thought of things she wanted on Christmas. She wanted to build her own Christmas tree and put beautiful lights and decorations on it. She wanted to have delicious food on their small table, wearing a beautiful dress and shoes, and even just for a day, she wanted to have lights in their home just so their Christmas Eve won't be boring and dark. She wanted her family to be complete and they would sing Merry Christmas songs together and eat together. She wanted all her wishes and dreams to come true and so she would pray fervently to God to grant her wishes.

I was just a kid creating fantasy stories in my mind. It was for free anyway. Even when I grew up I still wished for those things. When I started working and earning my own money, I did buy a Christmas tree taller than me, gifts for my siblings, and beautiful clothes and shoes for myself.

Santa never turned real, but the gift-giving is always real. But if there's one thing I wanted to become real from my wishes when I was a kid, that is to bring my family on a Christmas vacation out of town. Who knows? Someday, it will come true.

Time flies really so fast and the real countdown to Christmas begins. Thinking about it, what really is your ideal Christmas? We aren't kids anymore and so we should think practically and realistically. As for me...

My ideal Christmas is having simple food on the table. All members are present, as well as my nieces and nephews. A Christmas tree is standing beautifully and colorfully beside our family dining table with simple gifts for everyone underneath it.

At midnight, we would all sing the Christmas song together, eat together happily, and would watch the fireworks set by my father outside our home. Everything goes along with my plans and everyone is happy and healthy. That's all I want for Christmas.

Sounds easy to achieve those things. Albeit, it's easier said than done, especially that some members have their own families already and followed their own preferred path. But then if there is a will, there is a way. Because as the adage goes.

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." - Burton Hills

And this is my entry to @TengoLoTodo #Christmas Challenge2021. Oh acrostic again 🤭.

We always have beautiful stories to share, especially about Christmas. So why won't you share yours? Come and join this challenge too.

Don't forget to include the special requirement like this photo below with the name "read" on it.

I actually made two. Just the same haha.

I hope you like it.

Happy Sunday and advance Merry Christmas readcashers.

Thanks for reading.

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