Christmas Away From Home

Couple of weeks from now, Christmas will be here. Everywhere you go nowadays, you see a lot of Christmas decorations, the Christmas songs are playing everywhere, and the shops are filled with Christmas shoppers. I've got my Christmas tree up today, decorated with Christmas balls and lights, the presents are all wrapped up and are sitting comfortably under the tree. We've been looking forward to seeing another white Christmas minus the snow shovels and snow storms. Yet, despite all the merry decorations and great looking lights, I miss Christmas in the Philippines.

For us Filipinos, there's nothing like Christmas in the Philippines. You actually hear Christmas songs played on radio & malls as early as first week of September, but officially our Christmas season starts on December 16. It usually ends on the first Sunday of January. Christmas in the Philippines has been described as the longest Christmas celebration in the world. Okay, what usually happens on December 16? That's when the "Simbang Gabi" officialy starts all over the Philippines. People of all ages, old or young, whether you're rich or poor, everyone looks forward to Simbang Gabi. Some people never miss a single Simbang Gabi at all, most people believe that if you complete December 16 to December 24 yes, all those 9 Christmas morning masses, your wish will be granted. I had perfect attendance on my last four years that I was in the Philippines. The Mass is usually very early (some churches start as early as 3:30 AM and some start at 4 or 4:30 AM). Lovers walk hand-in-hand, whole families walk to church together and some drive, but it's more fun if you walk since there are lots of people walking and you get to eat all the Christmas goodies being sold in the streets. Groups of friends or what we call them as barkadas, all walk together, giggling and teasing each other. Churches are jam-packed, most people can't get in the church so they end up just sitting or standing right outside. As soon as the Holy Mass is over, everyone scrambles to the street stalls for freshly cooked goodies. (note: you're going to drool over the smell). Bibingka, kutsinta, puto bumbong, salabat, arroz caldo, lugaw, hot cocoa and hot coffee are all being served to hungry churchgoers by these street food peddlers. From where I came from the weather is usually cooler in December (in the early morning hours, it sometimes get down to as low as 60 degrees F).

I can clearly remember how my family celebrates on Christmas. We have a huge family gathering on Christmas Eve. All the kids (pamangkins & apos) would wait until midnight (we usually go to the Christmas Eve Holy Mass at 8:00 pm). Sometimes we would eat right before midnight, so that we can open our Christmas presents at exactly 12 midnight. The dining table at my house would be filled with tons of Filipino-style Christmas food, like Christmas ham, queso de bola, Filipino spaghetti, lumpia, fruit salad, bread, pancit, lechon and different fruits. After feasting on our Christmas dinner, every family would then exchange gifts and we'd all open them at the same time. The girsl and their friends and cousins would stay awake all night talking; the elders (including me) will spend the rest of the night karaoke singing. Around 5am, everyone would be tired and sleepy but very happy. The next day, we all wake up early around 7 or 7:30am, because there would be kids (also from the neighborhood) knocking at the doors, asking for some Christmas money. Sometimes there would be kids (usually my god kids) that go to my house (together with their parents, who are usually my friends) and I'd give them their Christmas gifts and we'd serve up some left over ham and a bit of fruit cake and queso de bola. This would go on and on until afternoon.

Then on New Year's Eve, we celebrate the same way, wait till midnight and all sorts of firecrackers in the neighborhood would fill the air with noise. And after all the noise, We would go and eat a big feast again, but this time, there would be no exchanging of gifts. There would usually be loud music, some dancing and singing, and fireworks all over the city when the clock strikes at 12:00 midnight.

Christmas is absolutely unique in the Philippines. This will be the second year that we would not be spending Christmas there. But I always celebrate it in the Pinoy ways and traditions. I am proud of my culture and traditions and I intend to celebrate the holiday season Pinoy style wherever I go.

Winter And Christmas

Today is again cloudy and very cold. The sun has already risen, but it is still dark and gloomy outside. The first winter storm of this winter is approaching and Friday night there might be a mix of snow and rain and sleet which will make travel on the roads quite difficult and dangerous on Saturday. I used to hope for days like that because the girls and I were excited to see snow...But I don't want to go through winter again because in bad weather I usually end up being stuck in the house and most of the time I just sleep and eat. Last year I gained 10 lbs in just 3 months...huh!!!!

Yes, it is now so winter...here in the east coast it gets dark at 4:30 in the afternoon and the sun doesn't come up until 7:30 in the morning. Holiday cheer is beginning to fill the air and soon there will be rounds of Christmas parties to attend. I miss Christmas in the Philippines. My mind conjures up images of how we celebrate Christmas. It starts with me and my daughters attending Simbang Gabi. Back home in Gensan starting December 15 we would go to bed early so that we could wake up at 3 o'clock in the morning of December 16 and won't be late for the 1st Misa de Gallo Mass (usually starts at 4:00AM). I imagine the huge chandeliers ( 6 of them if my memory serves me right ) of the OLPGV Parish that are only all lighted up during this season. After the Mass, the parish serves coffee, pandesal or bibingka. Outside the church street food peddlers will be selling freshly cooked goodies of kutsinta, puto bumbong, arroz caldo, etc.These are delicacies specially prepared during the Christmas season.

This year I will miss spending Christmas in the Philippines but there is consolation in the feeling that this time at least I will not spend it alone, and I still have my girls to share that special feeling of being with family. And in spirit, I know my family and friends back home will be spending it with me. I can only imagine this coming  Christmas as filled with love and celebration for the many blessings but also an opportunity to share the joy and happiness this season brings.

Merry Christmas to all of you!!!

A Day in The Tropical Paradise

When I was still living in the Philippines full time, my favorite getaway when I get tired of the noise and traffic of the city is to go play golf or go somewhere quiet and peaceful to go swimming, walk in the beach, and watch the day pass me by. Gumasa, Glan, Sarangani Province is famous for its beach white sand. It is about an hour and a half drive from my hometown General Santos City. The last time I was there was in May 2007.

But in my visit to the Philippines last month, my brother told me about this new resort being developed by one of the business magnate in Gensan. The owner told my brother that it is not yet finished but there is one cottage that we could already use, anyway we were just going to stay for a day.

Just driving along the coastline going there is already a great experience.  As soon as you enter the Gensan-Sarangani boundary, you will be cruising along a highway that was built thru USAID. It is a world class highway devoid of the bumps & humps with fresh country air and beautiful scenery-- rice fields, coconut, banana and corn plantations, hills and mountains on the left and seashore on the right. The quaint little towns along the way amazed me and made me pensive. Time seems to have passed on them. They were not as much different from what I remember them 20 years ago. I still see carabao as a means of plowing the field and horse to carry the produce to the market. Life seems very simple still.

When we got to the place, I was mesmerized by the tranquility of the area. The beach sand is white and clean and the water is so clear.There I envisioned a world-class resort in that part of Sarangani. Listening to the owner talked about his plans for the place, I know on my return to the Philippines next time, I will be going  there  many times.

I know big name resort towns have spoiled our society and taken away the simple pleasures from the traditional summer family vacation. But as what I heard from Mr. Tan's vision of the place. I imagined nightlife there will be best experienced by an evening walk along the beach. The moonlight and stars that reflect off the ocean’s surface act as bright lights. For music, the soothing sounds of the gentle waves with a gentle breeze coming off of the ocean. All these and the luxury of a world class resort, what more can you ask for?
My family was so grateful to Mr. Tan for that wonderful time we had in El Jardin del Mar. Thank you very much!!!

50 Years After

My parents are in their early 70's and they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary last Sept. 29, 2009.
For months, my siblings and I had planned a grand event: video interviews, powerPoint presentations, buffet galore, and hundreds of friends and relatives sharing the joyous occasion with us – the works! We thought our parents deserved nothing less than a fantastic fete with high (not to mention, tacky) production values. However, my parents had a different idea about how they wanted to celebrate their anniversary. Their wish was to have a much more simple celebration at the kiosk of the Parish Church of Alabel, Sarangani province following the renewal of their vows at the church. Aside from the family they wanted their guest to be just people they work with in the parish. Fortunately, they made this clear to us before we made the reservations and the invitations were mailed. So, as much as we had been looking forward to hosting a big party, we accepted the fact that it was their anniversary and they should celebrate according to their own plans! They wanted it simple and low-key, yet genuine and meaningful-like their love and marriage we were celebrating.

After the ceremony, papa gave a 5-minute talk on how they have stayed together all these years and touched the hearts of those present when he said that if ever they have a chance to go back and be young again, he said that he had no doubt he would want to marry my mother again. Sounds like a cliche but we, their children are living witnesses to their love and commitment.

With their daughters, (not in the photo is our sister who is a nun)

With their only son and grandson

Some of the guests (colorful!)

Our parents look like they're always serious but they both have a good sense of humor. Laughter and a bit of cheesy kissing. Add constant conversation (after half a century together, they haven’t run out of things to talkabout!) and the grace of God – that’s how they got their Golden Bond.