Reminiscing Filipino New Year Celebrations
December 30, 2021
Time flies so fast. It seems like yesterday when I greeted this platform with Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2021. And it is such a blessing that I still reach this far and these two BCH platforms continue to shower blessings to everyone. Who would have thought that I would celebrate my second Christmas and New Year with this community? Some even thought that these platforms won't last long. But here they are, getting better, stronger, and bigger. They just proved that the BCH community is a great place that connects people from all parts of the world.
Back on the title...
The countdown to New Year is fast approaching, and we can't keep ourselves from reminiscing about the things we have done this year, good and bad, happy and sad. As well as to self-reflect, regret about the failures and bad things we did, and think about how to make things better this upcoming year. But if there is something we have to do, that is to move forward positively and leave all the negativity and hatred in the past.
The recollection of the past most especially includes our memories of Filipino traditions during this anticipated special event of the year. Apart from having The World's longest Christmas Season, our country Philippines also has a lot of traditions before, on, and after New Year.
Taking down memory lane, everyone at home is always busy prior to this special event. Our family is more excited about New Year than Christmas, because it is the occasion for thanksgiving, and welcoming the new year full of positivity. Moreover, New Year also serves as our family reunion, and my older brothers would take breaks from their work and would celebrate the New Year with us.
And part of our tradition and beliefs, we would have general cleaning prior to this special day. We would clean the house, from ceilings, walls, windows, corners, and all parts and appliances of the house should be clean and dust-free. It's tiring, yet satisfying to see the house clean and organized. I bet @EJ has already started their general cleaning day before New Year starts. Our grandmother says cleaning the house should be done before the year ends to remove the bad luck and misfortune of the previous year, and so we could welcome the new year with spaces for good luck.
Another tradition that we do before New Year is filling up all the water and food storage, and purses of coins, to avoid scarcity in the upcoming year and make the new year prosperous.
So one or two days before New Year, we would go to the city market to buy all the things we needed and ingredients for the food we would serve on New Year's Eve.
On the 31st of December, the whole day would be a busy day. As if we would be having a fiesta, as all members have their own tasks to execute, while the rest are busy at the kitchen, preparing and cooking food. My mother would cook the main viands, while I am always tasked to make the desserts, and prepare the fruits. Sometimes we would butcher a pig, and half of it would be saved for my birthday on the second day of January.
At ten o'clock in the evening, we would start setting up the table. And my favorite part is decorating it with fruits and chocolates, and other round-shaped food. Then we would wear clothes with polka dots, or anything round on it, as Filipinos believed that it would bring more luck, money, and good fortune. But as years pass by, I tend not to believe in this belief, lol.
Back in the years when fireworks were still allowed to be sold in the Philippines, my father and brothers would buy some, and they would set them up outside our house, and wait for the countdown to light the firecrackers. Meanwhile, my little siblings, nephews, and nieces would play their plastic"torotot" or horn.
One time, this boyish little sister of mine picked up a firecracker that didn't work, but when she touched it, it suddenly burst and burnt her hand. Luckily, my first aid kit was at home at that time and I was able to give her first aid immediately. You can feel the pain from her facial expression. I suddenly became a Caregiver that night. At least, my skills have been useful to my family too, not just to my patients. Nonetheless, our New Year went well happily.
A funny memory on New Year's Eve is when we're told to jump so we would grow taller, that seems not to work to me at all. My little siblings nowadays are even taller than me, lol. I feel like I am the shortest one in the family. Even our youngest brother is now taller than me.
Filipino beliefs say it's not good to serve chicken and fish during New Year as they are associated with scarcity. But we never followed it and we even love serving grilled milkfish and fried chicken on New Year's eve as kids love it.
What I like the most in New Year's preparation is making fruit macaroni salad, mango float, jelly, spaghetti, and biko or sticky rice. Folks say that eating spaghetti, pansit (vermicilli), and other kinds of pasta or noodles, symbolizes longevity. And we would have longer lives if we will serve this kind of food on New Year's eve. Meanwhile, sticky food is said to strengthen the family bond. So in the Philippines, biko or other sticky Filipino delicacies are always present on the table every New Year.
This photo was taken in 2015. Our youngest brother liked wearing that big glasses and we were laughing at him as he looked so funny like an owl. He's a grown-up now, and my mother said he's already taller than me.
My three little siblings and my naughty nephew (the small fat one who loves to eat, lol). They are all grown-ups now and I missed them so much.
New Year also makes me reminisce of the times after typhoon Yolanda caused havoc in our place. On December 31, 2013, we thought that our New Year would be so dark. But thankfully, the light was back a few hours before the New Year started. We screamed in joy when we finally saw lights in our village after more than a month of living in the dark.
That was a positive sign for us, for a better and brighter new year. As the adage goes, the sun will always shine every after a storm. So we just have to stay strong and weather the storm. And at the end of every dark day and night, there is always light that would give hope to everyone.
One more day to go before New Year. Are you guys excited about it? What are your good memories of New Year? And your preparations for tomorrow night?
Thanks for reading. And advance Happy New Year everyone!
©read.cash/@Jane (All Rights Reserved 2021)
The polka dot na damit at pag talon talaga. Haha. Nagawa ko na din yan ate. 😁 Medyo sad lang new year ko ngayon dahil sa Odette. Pero laban lang. Hoping for a better 2022. Happy New Year, ate. 🥳