As a child, I had always loved Christmas. Well, who doesn't love Christmas with all the merry-makings and gift giving's. Growing, I was able to experience different customs when it comes to celebrating Christmas. Let me share to you the different customs that I have experience while in Burauen, Leyte and Vintar, Ilocos Norte.

Burauen, Leyte

I was raised in Burauen, Leyte when our family moved from Camarines Sur where I was born. Papa was a soldier, so we stayed at the military camp but they decided that we need to move to my mother's hometown. Most of my Christmas memories as a child was spent here. Celebrating Christmas here was simple. Days before Christmas, we would go caroling with friends. Whatever we get, we would divide it depending on how many we are that went caroling. On Christmas Eve, Mama would just cook spaghetti, while we go caroling. We would always excitedly go since we know that almost everyone would give us money. Before Christmas Eve, only few would give money since they would always say that it's not yet Christmas. After we go caroling and after dividing the money that we collected, we would go straight to our house where Mama would be waiting for us. She had already prepared the table with spaghetti, a bottle of 1 liter of Coca-Cola, bread, and my favorite, which I haven't tasted for a long time, torta bread.

Torta bread had always been part of my Christmas every year when we were still in Buraue. Sophia's Bread and Pastries sells the best torta bread. Mama would always have torta bread during Christmas. Sometimes, even when we don't have enough money, as long as we have torta bread, Christmas would always be complete. Before going to bed, we would always hang our socks on our window for Santa. Although, I would sometimes question myself before how Santa would know who's socks is it if we won't put a name on it. But since I was still young, I would always think that Santa knows every kid in the world.

On the morning of Christmas, Mama would dress us up, preparing us to go on house to house Christmas visitation (sorry, I forgot the right term but if you know, kindly comment please?). We would go to a house and greet them a merry Christmas and in return, they would either give us money, candies and treats, gifts, or sometimes they would invite us to eat. We would do the same thing in every houses. Every houses prepares different things for kids. You would often see long lines in every houses. There are houses that would add twists before they give like there would be an answer question that would give you twice the amount or quantity of what they give. We would do it for the entire morning. We might be tired but we are always happy since its not everyday that we get lots of money, candies and stuffs.

Vintar, Ilocos Norte

It was the summer of 2011 when my parents separated so Papa brought us in his hometown, Vintar. Christmas was a bit different for we would only go caroling once, and that's on the eve of Christmas. The only time we would go caroling before Christmas Eve is everytime our school would go caroling in the different parts of our barangay. Although I'm not sure if it's on our barangay only that is like this. On the afternoon of Dec. 24, my auntie would prepare tupig.

Tupig is a pastry from a soft and oily variety of rice used for native sweets (diket) cooked in coconut milk, molasses, sesame seed, and coconut shred. My cousins would dig a rectangular hole in the ground where we would place charcoal. Afterwards, a piece of G.I. sheet or yero is placed on top of the hole where pebbles are placed. This will serve as an improvised oven or pugon where the tupig mixture placed in a banana leaf will be cooked. Tupig would be given to carolers or relatives as a gift.

Nothing much happen on the morning of 25th, unlike in Leyte where kids would go house to house. It's quite disappointing for kids since it feels like Christmas only happen on Christmas Eve.

Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

I added this place since it is where I am living at right now. I've been here since 2010 and been experiencing Vigan Christmas since 2011. Misa de Gallo is always a thing that we would always make sure that we would complete the 9 masses for they say that once you complete it, you can make a wish and usually, it would always come true. Christmas celebration here is also somewhat similar to Burauen since kids would also go house to house on Christmas day. Kids are given money and gifts but unlike in Burauen that wherever house you go, there would always be someone waiting for kids on their frontdoor, sometimes home owners won't open their doors so going house to house here takes guts or what I usually call "KapalMuks".

We may celebrate Christmas differently but the most important thing to remember is that it is Christmas Day, the birth of our dear baby Jesus, and that it is a time of sharing, caring, and loving one another despite all the differences that we have.