Hello, Christmas!

When the cold wind has started to blow gently, Christmas is coming. When Jose Marie Chan’s songs have started to play in the morning radio, Christmas is coming. When different lights are being hanged in various streets, Christmas is coming. When 24-oras and TV Patrol are starting to count in TV Screens, Christmas is coming. When friends, co-workers, and family are planning to a holiday party, Christmas is coming. There are lots of memories that Christmas will never be forgotten. Those memories bring back the nostalgic moments of how Christmas is being celebrated with our culture. It’s kinda deeply much missing, right?

I have remembered the days when my siblings and I were not able to celebrate Christmas here in the province because my parents wanted to have our Christmas in Manila. When we were elementary days, we were so saddened when our teacher announced the date of our Christmas party. Why we were sad? Because we cannot able to spend that Christmas party with them. Prior the date of the party, we always went to Manila on the second week of December. It was yearly so that we didn't experience Christmas party when we were elementary days. However, it was not quite sad because we had met new people, new company, new celebrations, and new experiences in Manila, specifically in Taguig where my father is working for almost 27 years of his life as a Taxi Driver. Taguig has served as our home for approximately 8 years during Christmas season and end of school year. Yeah, every end of school year, we spent our vacation there and going home to the province again when the new school year starts. While my mother is preparing our food yesterday, she reminisced the old but gold memories in Taguig because she truly values the people and the experiences they had shared before. As I scrolling my phone, I agreed because those memories are truly worth remembering.

When we were high school, this was the time when my siblings and I were able to celebrate the Christmas party in our school. I cannot deny the fact that High School is the best season of someone’s school life. My parents were planning the date when my second sister interrupted them, “Ma, baka naman pwede kaming mag-Christmas party dito? High School na kami eh.” she said with pleasing eyes haha. So, our parents decided that we can celebrate Christmas party here and afterwards, going directly to the Manila. These are all the scenarios we had during that time. At this moment, I am craving to the times that we can experience good moments again during Christmas Season.

Furthermore, some of our cool activities here when Christmas Season is waving, are fiesta, lubenas, playing in the carnival, bonding with childhood friends and cousins, and so on. One of the activities I have mentioned is lubenas or nubenas, whatsoever the name is. We grew up in lubenas as the name of that activity. How is lubenas celebrated? As far as I know, it starts in the 23rd or 24th of December and ends in 31 here on our barangay. I remember when my friends and cousins are joining in lubenas just to get more candles and take it all home. We went to the barangay church and make a long line. As the long walks went on, all of us were waiting to get a candle. We tended to light it up shortly then hide it in our pouch or be kept on the side carefully. After that, we will ask again to have a candle until we secretly accumulate lots of candles hahaha. When brown out suddenly comes, we have candles to light up our homes. Hay, if I can turn back those times, I will. Can we have a short escape from this reality? How I wish…

Honestly, I have so much memories to be told when Christmas is coming. I have gained meaningful and joyous experiences that are truly worth to cherish.

Anyway, I just miss the season of Christmas. I miss everything. At exactly 6 in the evening, the wind coils me up like in those good old days. I just felt the life before when no COVID-19 at all. It’s November, the eleventh month before the year ends. The light-bulb streets are still empty. Caroling is no longer practiced. Children who supposed to be the center of Christmas turned out to be the least people who should not come out their homes. Giving gifts became lesser in every thought of the people today. It is very evident how this pandemic changed the lives of people. As their lives continuously changing, their ways of thinking also changed. I hope that we do not forget the real reasons why this season is still incessant today---no greediness in power, intangible things, and undoubted love. It should be spreading of kindness, compassion, and everything good even in your simplest acts.

May this Christmas be the season of bountiful blessings and healing for everyone!