So we got stuck in Dubai celebrating Christmas and some place else thats sooooo far away from home, but to cushion life a bit, ive created this list that reminds me of christmas back home, where YOU WILL NEVER NEED A TAXI CAUSE THE PADJAKS ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE and WHERE CHRISTMAS IS AS SIMPLE AS WATCHING A FILMFEST ENTRY AT SM.
i invite everyone to keep the list going. HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
and the list goes on…
**** Home and its memories, both the good and the bad.****
*the annoying sound of tanzans (flattened, holed and wired together) while engrossed in your telenobela and the single toned “sa may bahay…” or sa may kotse… ” if you happen to be i a car”
*the full view of the moon at night, where mom cautions us to close the window as we might get sick in the morning ( dr quack quack strikes again)
*the kawa (the traditional gigantic wok shaped cooker for aleja ube ) taken out from the storage to be scrubbed with “steel wool” cleaner.
*the pangogo – a paddle shaped wood for stirring the ube mixture, where everyone volunteers to stirring at an early phase cause it is still easier to do so. as it gets cooked, the shoulders start to strain.
*the clucking/dragging sounds of sandals/tsinelas in the street signalling me to get up for the misa de gallo. when the sound stops it means u miss the mass again.
*the long array of lanterns lighted in the cool night along the olongapo-gapan road.
* GLORIA IN EXELCIS DEUS sang by the church choire
*my moms asado and relyenong bangus, sliced ham in hot pandesal
*funny recounts of dengdeng’s “inaanak invasion from san jusep”
*kakanin koisk outside the church alighted by kerosene lamps. with bangko / monoblock plastic stools infront.
*a special request of cheese and itlog na pula (and not just the regular slab of mantekilya) on top of the bibingka.
*when everybody stops talking and starts hiding because of strange visitors you”ve never known shouts – ” namamasko po …”
*when all the kids starts liing up to grab your hand as you come out of the house, and hopefully your hands reach on your wallet after….
*the skillful skinning of buko (young coconut) as buko salad makers wont mind carrying the lot at home.
*the smell of new clothes on children. the smell of gift wraps and the smell of SM plastic (vanilla like)
kumusta ya ing christmas bonus in kind?
like one sac of rice,
the gift hamper,wrapped in cellophane
gift certificate
at sang box ng ham….
kailangan ba grade 3 ang memories? basta the katol box and face towel gifts were phenomenal then. me sabon pang kasama.
*the group presentation with the latest dance and costumes.
*the red and green crepe paper for the ADVENT WREATH
*the store bought lanterns in metallic colors
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