Hola!
This day holds a special place in my heart as we celebrate my cousin’s existence. His birthday was actually yesterday but it has become a family tradition to hold the celebration on the 30th day of November, a holiday. The holiday allows us to gather family members, relatives and friends from far away in one place because it’s a day off!
This picture is from canva
Fun fact: November 30 is Bonifacio Day in the Philippines. Andres Bonifacio, a Filipino hero born on November 30, 1863 was a revolutionary. He was also the founder of a nationalist Katipunan society who fought against the Spaniards.
Garden By The Sea
As usual, my family celebrated this important event in our favorite place, the Garden By The Sea. It’s owned by a fellow church member of Iglesia ni Cristo. The house stands on an elevated plot of land by the beachside and features a modern architectural design. It’s complemented by a light and dark colored palette of whites and blacks.
The setup was simple yet filled with warmth, duly for a relaxed and casual gathering. We laid out a tarpaulin on the wall. Four rented tables were placed across the tarpaulin, each one covered with food - several of which are homemade dishes, fruits and the roasted pork or lechon. Mouthwatering dishes are uncovered for everyone to dig in and enjoy. Then, there were 20 chairs that were randomly arranged, providing plenty of seating for family and friends to mingle joyfuly.
Off to the side, two benches were positioned on the lush bermuda grass, perfect spots to sit and enjoy the breeze while chatting and eating. In the background, a speaker was set up for karaoke, filling the air with good music.
Family and Friends
We invited numerous people to join us in celebrating this special day for a boisterous and heartwarming atmosphere. Our family, friends and relatives came together, sparking lively chatter about each of our lives. Many of these people were ones we hadn’t seen in a while, and it was such a joyous feeling to have them with us. My aunt and uncle also invited church members while the birthday celebrant brought along a group of his classmates.
As for me, I invited 
Simple Yet Fun Activities with my Friends
As soon as Marianne, Kebi and Khient arrived, we dived straight into lunch. It was quite amusing since Khient had just woken up, rushed through a quick bath then headed straight over while Kebi hadn’t eaten breakfast at all! He was clearly preparing his stomach for the feast. All of us shared a good laugh about this.
After eating, we had a karaoke session and the three musketeers took center stage, laughing and enjoying the carefree moment. We also did Tik Toks with the songs Superman and Wait. We had several failures so we needed retakes but it’s what made the celebration more fun!
Then all of us headed down to the sea for a swim with our conversation flowing from one random topic to another. We talked about everything - from politics, religion and our past work experiences. The chat was chaotic yet delightful with the occasional cracking of jokes. We enjoyed each other’s company.
While swimming, our eyes caught sight of the Ferris wheel. This caused us to extend the celebration with an impromptu visit to the fair. The three of us decided to walk there, yet when Kebi passed by a pet shop, he was fascinated with the fishes and took videos of them. Our visit was short since our main goal was the fair.
There was a ride called Boomerang UFO at the fair. We were excited but we also hesitated and debated about trying and in the end, we settled with it. The ride was thrilling as it was nerve-cracking. We spun and soared through the air, tossed in every direction. The boys seemed unfazed while Marianne and I were panicking and worrying about falling. Despite the fear, I loved the adrenaline rush running through my body.
After surviving the ride, we strolled to the municipal hall, intent on watching the Christmas display of Compostela. Of course, this led to another round of conversations. Finally, with smiles on our faces, we decided to call it a day. Each of us carried home memories of a day that had been simple, chaotic and absolutely unforgettable.
