A young man is looking out the window, trying not to be distracted by the rain falling on that watery transparent glass that covers them. If the window broke, the paper on his desk had been flown by the wind outside. The cold and breezy air makes him want to stay in bed; the 'ber' months started when people were now singing a song.
Yonong's daydreams were interrupted when his teacher came inside the classroom. They were on standby for this afternoon. The principal had called all the teachers at the elementary level to have a talk and meeting.
The teacher comes in front of the rostrum. Young Yonong is looking at the smiling teacher, clueless about what good thing the teacher will share.
Teacher: Everyone, come and listen. We talked about the upcoming Christmas Party.
And everyone was happy and had some noise, the teacher was trying to calm down the students, for they might disturb the next room class, but then young Yonong and all the grade 2 class of Mrs. Alcantara could not bare anymore when they heard the next classroom also jump by happiness.
Mrs. Alcantara told her pupil to prepare a paper cut, and everyone excitedly jumped. One student got her paper, and everyone was looking at her. She looked like an angry bird with her eyes. Young Yonong tried to comfort her, "the spirit of Christmas is gift giving," and the angry bird just glared at him. No choice, she gave the paper to everyone in peace but still with the look of saying, "I won't have pad paper anymore."
They wrote their name and folded them, bring to the teacher to scramble them. It's how they will have their classmate's name to have the exchange gift. As pupils have the name of the classmate they shall give a gift, some are not happy they picked someone they don't want, others are glad they have their crush's name.
But the young Yonong was disappointed. He picked his name—no choice but to redo it and make it pick again.
END.
Ber months: these are the four kings of the months of the year that have "ber" at the end of suffix that people looked at the calendar. This means that SeptemBER, OctoBER, NovemBER, and DecemBER fall into the so-called "ber" season. There are two faces of ber months in the Philippines, both in child and adult. And as a Filipino and farmer like me, this is what Ber months look like.
It feels like I am about to time travel, returning to my youthfulness when the only problem was what to play. I loved the idea of ber months, especially in school activities where we planned the party as the start of the Ber, planned what food to prepare, moves to make, or even the Christmas dance and jingles.
That's the spirit of ber months. Everyone will have about it, but there is a version that might not everyone feels yet happened. the side story of other Filipinos in Ber months.
As a Filipino, What was a Ber-months?
Joining the new month-long activity of HivePH again, I am about to share my thoughts and observation about Ber months. The days are where the feeling of Christmas starts.
BER-Months are for Business.
Ber months also gives affection to Filipino Creativity in terms of looking for what business suits the high demands of Filipino looking for the decorations, this season where some businessmen will start to open up their decoration business such as parol or the lanterns, lights, and decorations. Even Candles and flowers for November one, and adds the firecracker business next to New year's Eve, Ber months is an open field to an enterprise.
Filipinos are born with a creative mind, from raw materials to indigenous products that could be seen anywhere as abundant in terms of resources.
Are you planning to engage in small business this season? Why not? The demands on school decoration again are in need, foods or fruit stalls are now coming in out, and even candies and gifts are now being introduced at the beginning of the ber-months as days of many events, and more activities will come. Also flower decorations are also on the face for November 1 and 2 holidays.
Ber-months for other Filipinos means business; as people will about to spend money for their loved ones, some start at the beginning of the 4 in season.
Ber-Months is planning Months.
Filipino are fond of planning ahead of time, which becomes the look when my mother is now preparing a list of things she needs to buy for the coming ber month. Imagine the seasons to come, celebrating November 1, Christmas on Dec 24 and 25, and New year's evening. Most parents are now rushed to budget up for the forthcoming special event.
Also, people now look forward to planning their parties, giving gifts, or the 'monito-monita' scheme in work or classrooms—a program by the officials of what they should wear or what shall they perform at the parties.
At the start of the Ber-months, some of us are now ahead in terms of planning, budgeting, and event doing some program.
We wanted a perfect celebration that comes only once a year, so some of us are really in the mood for planning to have things at the beginning of the four king months.
Ber-month is a Typhoon prone.
As one of the significant seasons of the ber month is the cold and rainy seasons begins. As we observed, typhoon cyclones dominated the country during this season, resulting in cold climatic conditions. Also, it's not only that holidays are we getting care of and preparing things but the phenomenon in which farmers plant a crop that is highly susceptible to the heavy rains.
Ber-months OOTD (Outfit Of The Day)
The season also gives the teenager who showcases their own OOTD or the Outfit of the day much more that teenagers are so fond of dressing their idols such Korean or the same as they have seen in the series. The Philippines is a tropical region, only the ber month where we have chances to wear a long dress or coats that trend in the social life.
Some might get ready for their OOTD in the coming months.
Ber-Months also for foods.
The month where rains will cover the whole day, and appetite will look for something to warm the tummy, sopas or the milky soup of macaroni, champorado, and even the aroz-caldo to counteract the cold seasons.
This month-long also came to the seasonal foods such as tikoy, puto-bong bong, Kesong Pula or the red cheese, Hamon or smoked hams and considered all the foods that become special during the era of ber months. As the typical, all soul and all saints, November meant that kakanin or sticky rice cakes would come on the counter of the stores.
Well, Ber-months is the season for exceptional food, which also comes that more business-minded entrepreneurs will have this season as their profiting months.
Ber-months meant the countdown began.
I wasn't surprised when after the news, there will be a flash of how many days will take after December 25. Filipino always wanted to feel the countdown on how many days more were left before Christmas, waiting until the last countdown of the holidays.
The New Year's countdown is what I am waiting for the most—counting down until midnight.
I am also fond of countdowns.
FIN.
FIN.
Getting ready for September, October, November, and December is an exciting part for every Filipino worldwide. Not just those children were getting ready for what they will receive this coming caroling month but also signs that the spirit of being Pinoy will again stand up in the face of the world.
For me, these BER months will have considerable impacts in terms of finances and economics. Some might feels they were received. Others will look as if they have something to give.
Filipinos are fond of holidays, and a four-month-long is normal. It is in the presence of dugong maharlika. For that, I wanted to greet everyone a Happy September and the beginning of the Ber months. May the good things be with us always.
BER-Months are profiting months. Get ready for a business.
