Christmas won't be the same without you

Christmas is fast approaching. 10 days to go before we reach the season to be jolly .

I still can't believe Mama is not with us and I'm still imagining that she went abroad and can not come home because her contract is good for 20yrs. hehehe.. As a daughter, I really hope things would have been better " if ". But I'm done with " ifs ", so I post my last happy moments with Mama. 

My constant date every Christmas and New year had left me so soon , sabi ko sa'yo Ma, I would love to go first coz I can't bear the pain of seeing you going 6 feet under under..hehehe...

I know even though you are up there and i'm down here, we still have time to chat ( sa puso ko . hehehe ) ... A mother like you MA is something I never imagine that I would do if ever I have my own kids.  Now, every time I heard the word SACRIFICE , I always remember you...

Merry Christmas Mama and you will always stay in my heart. I will surely missed your sweet smile and hugs but I know time will come that we will meet again, when ? I don't know pero wag muna ngayon may iiyak eh. hehhehe.. I love you Ma and I will keep you smiling from above in my own little ways...

1st Christmas without Mama

“I believe in Love at first sight because I have love my mother ever since I opened my eyes.”, I read this line this morning from the internet and I agree. It's almost 3months now since my beloved Mother passed away after battling with Pancreatic Cancer. In a family, mostly, MOTHER is really the light of the house, blanket when you feel cold, fire when you are cold and a hanky each time tears fall from your eyes.

At first, I don’t really feel like celebrating Christmas though it is really fast approaching. I just hang our PAROL (Christmas lantern) this Saturday afternoon, I don’t want my Mama to see our house, from afar, and that it has no Christmas decorations. Until now I still don’t have any plans for December 25 except from visiting my siblings on my mother's side.

 I know even if I don’t speak or mention it to my partner, she knows what I feel. This is the first Christmas that I will be spending without my Mother. I've been with her all my life; we’ve spent  ups and downs together, shares secrets and sometime argue but the end of the day she is still my mother who understands and love me. 

I never have problem coming-out to her because there is no confirmation or questions asked, she just know it maybe because she is my mother. I will not trade Mama for anything in this world; 

Her Love for her children is so selfless that even to her last days she still thinks of our own welfare.

Just imagine in my age, when she was still here with us, she still hug and kissed me wherever and whenever. I am super sad right now, I think my "mental shield" is starting to melt down and I don’t have the strength to charge it again.

  

But Mama gives me a good foundation; she used to say "a lot of problems may come our way before December but there still a reason for this season. 

Christmas is a celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth and it was already installed by my mother ever since I was a kid. So just like the song goes “Sapat nang si Hesus ang kasama mo,Tuloy na tuloy parin ang pasko”. 

Sometimes, I can still feel Mama around; she is now one of my angels up in heaven. I know, when the time come that we will meet there, I know she still knows me and welcome me with her warm hugs and kisses because she is my mother forever. The 2nd person I love, next to God.

Mother is always a mother in whatever form God create her.

Source: Images from “30 Maternal Love Photographs by Eric Shafer"

Tara! Lets Celebrate Christmas in the Philippines!

Tara! Let's Celebrate Christmas in the Philippines!

By: MOLE Antolo

Christmas spirit is in the air. Can you smell it? If you are in a beauty contest and asked "what is the essence of Christmas?" 

What would you answer in return? Hmmm... Probably “a MAJOR MAJOR gifts to come, i thank you”, funny but partly true, right? Others might think I am considerate to those people who are affected with the calamities that hit our country, Hell no! That's the reason why I am sharing this because Filipinos are Fighter, we are not the kind of species who just sat down and cry to death. After all what had happened, we get up then start to fight again and even some of us celebrate Christmas even in their smallest way.

People are so busy thinking where and how to spend Christmas. Gifts are raining everywhere specially for the children. We are so busy decorating our houses and thinking what gifts to give.  Though some of us hated Christmas for this maybe because of the big letter “B”- budget or maybe they are lack of money and think they are poorer than the others.

But for most Filipinos, they celebrate Christmas with or without plenty of money in any possible way they can. As early as September, Christmas songs fill almost all the radio station, some decorate their houses with Christmas décor ignoring the passing of Halloween and amaze our eyes with their colorful Christmas lights.

Here are some Filipino ways of celebrating Christmas which makes us different from the other countries:

• Parol or Filipino Christmas Lantern   

As early as September some Filipinos adorned colorful Lantern on their houses, offices, school and even shopping malls. A Filipino lantern often made out of creativity of Filipinos, some are made of Capiz, bamboo wrap in colorful art papers or even recycle materials.

• Simbang Gabi

 A Filipino Christmas tradition of 9 masses, start at 16th of December, and Filipinos start attending mass at 4:00 am and ends at midnight 24th of December. There are old saying that if you complete the 9 series of mass, whatever your prayers will come true.

• Monita/Monita  or Exchange Gifts 

 A Filipino tradition of gift giving and a Filipino version of Kris Kringle.

• Christmas Caroling in the Philippines 

Filipinos are known as lover of music, even youngsters. As soon as Simbang Gabi starts, children jump from house to another singing Christmas carols and exchange of their wonderful songs the house owner gave them something in return a coins or a bread.

• Christmas tree

Traditional way of making Christmas tree, made from different kinds of local materials since Pine trees are not available in most places here in the Philippines. Decorate it with colorful lights.

Filipinos consider this as the counter part of Thanks Giving celebration.

• Noche Buena 

A very special occasion for Filipinos, a feast on Christmas Eve, rich or poor. A family reunion of immediate distant family member and good time to drink. A Filipino family tradition not only about food but traditions of a Filipino close family ties. Suman sa ibos (sticky rice wrapped in coconut leaves), Leche flan (egg custard) are the popular desert during this season.

A very wondrous season to celebrate the power of love and to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. So enjoy Christmas in Filipino way and be merry all year round!

source: Christmas in the Philippines by mmdelrosario