1. The colorful parol hung at some of the neighbors’ houses. These definitely add to the Christmas cheers.
2. The constant urging I throw at my parents to put up the Christmas decors at home. I’ve been deligently putting up the decorations but everything changed when I started working. I usually arrive at the 23rd or 24th and it’s already late to put the decorations up.
3. If my folks ever manage to put up the decors, I constantly remind them to store away the decors before February. My vacations were usually short so there’s not enough time to do this my self.
4. The children carollers who drop by all of houses in the neighborhood, bearing their homemade tamborines, or a pair of spoons to accompany their jumbled Christmas songs.
5. Seeing the children’s faces when I hand them some candies or chocolates instead of money. Many of them gamble away what little money they get from carolling, so I prefer to give them something other than money.
6. Walking to church at around 3:30 in the morning to attend the Misa de Gallo – one of the rare opportunities to wear my favorite jacket.
7. Hearing the church choir sing Christmas carols.
8. Dropping by that place where puto bumbong is sold and having puto bumbong and a mug of hot cocoa for breakfast.
9. A string of small but very lively Christmas parties held almost everywhere!
10. The gift-wrapping “orders” we get at our sari-sari store. I immensely enjoy gift-wrapping, so in this task, I am a glad volunteer.
11. The food! My mother, Mama Conching, always prepares our favorites – Conching’s spaghetti, Conching’s macaroni salad, Conching’s adobo and Conching’s afritada. (I think and I believe that my mother’s spaghetti, macaroni salad, adobo, and afritada are the best in the whole world!)
12. Handing out presents to my little cousins, nieces, and nephews. My mother used to prepare gifts for the little ones but since I started earning, this special task was passed on to me. May it be a bar of local chocolate or an inexpensive toy – this doesn’t lessen their joy. Their innocence and sincerity is always heart-warming and humbling.
13. Noche Buena with my family. For more than 10 years, we’ve been having Christmas dinner with at least one family member missing – my father when he was still working in Saudi Arabia, and now, me.
