It's the most wonderful time of year! It's the season of giving! Well, for Filos, it's family time!
Last minute Christmas Preparation: Wrapping Gifts
Who knows that a wrap of decorated paper can make someone's heart jump?
Carefully removing a Christmas gift wrap was the most thrilling act I could feel when I was a kid.
- "Is it a toy?"
- "Is it a stuffed pillow?"
- "Awee, I'd really like to receive a shining necklace."
Isn't it amazing to look back at our thoughts when we were kids? Widely smiling while thinking about how we'll show these gifts off at school? Fast forward to my teenage years, and the only thing I thought of was, "Oh, money would really be appreciated."
You only need three things every Christmas season. (1) Hand, (2) Gifts, and (3) Money.
I've never wrapped a gift, which made sense because I'm just starting adulthood! Giving gifts almost equates to giving love for Filipino culture. (Tho, I think this should be eased coz not everyone can afford to, especially with the rising inflation.)
I bought six toys for my godchildren, all ranging from 1-10-year old. Then I wrapped one of my SNSD Hyoyeon's albums as a gift for a K-POP fan friend of mine. I also readied money for my godchild, who's now in her teenage years.
She needs it more! (I'm speaking from my experiences, lol)
After almost 3 hours of gift-wrapping, I finished these!
Underneath the Christmas tree is also the gift that my mom and I bought for my dad, who hasn't been with us for every Christmas celebration for 13 years. This is a Bench watch, much cheaper and closely related to what he has been eyeing. (Someday, I can afford that gold watch. Fighting!)
Together after 13 years
Time flies so fast; the cute little children when my father flew abroad for work have now become teens and adults. The last time we celebrated Christmas with a complete family was waaaay before - the year 2009.
Christmas is extremely special for a family-centered culture like the Philippines. This cold season is spent with warm conversations with loved ones - friends & family. It would even be sweeter when we get to bring the whole family together for a perfect family dinner, which this year, we get to eat and celebrate as a whole family!
From video calls every Christmas to warm face-to-face conversations, there's no gift more precious than this.
Christmas has become a yearly obligation for every Filipino family, whether rich or poor and Christian or Catholic.
In Filipino culture, Christmas decorations are actually meant to be displayed starting in October - the "ber" months!
Waking up on Christmas day to see your family, eating a delicious meal, exchanging gifts, and wrapping up presents are the five things that bring joy for the whole year.
But though it's too much to ask for, Christmas has come and gone again - and many times in between too. I'll never forget the nostalgia of coming home from school holiday break; this was our first time ever celebrating Christmas as a complete family after 13 years.
I'm so excited to celebrate our New Year too!
