It's 12 DAYS before Christmas!
Hmmm sounds like a Christmas song with the same title hehe! But unlike in the song, I won't be making a countdown for each day until the 25th with the list of gifts because there's nothing to count, no turtle doves nor a partridge in a pear tree none even a French hen ^_____^
Honestly, I am not expecting any tangible gifts this Christmas season. No one in my distant memory to ever think that would possibly transform into a generous santa, I am not suspecting anyone either hehe! I am also too grown up to deceive myself that the hanging-of-stocking-phenomenon is all true. The belief once I fancied on Jackson 5's Christmas hit "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" is already a quick-fading memory.
Speaking of gifts, there's at least one person in my circle back then who never failed to give me a present during the holiday season, but now there's no more reason for him to be generous with me, I'm no longer part of the department and no connection either so the kindness bestowed once-upon-a-time is now only a sweet-scented Christmas memory.
So what to believe and relish at the moment? Well, nothing but warm thoughts of the yuletide season.
Tripping down Christmas memory lane seems to be the most relieving option to take while struggling to cope up with homesickness, ekkkk gosh! Why suddenly I felt like missing home this Christmas when there were times in the past that I did not return home for the holiday season? What am I truly missing?
I could not even figure out, soooooo weird!!! What am I thinking right now? Hmmm, lots of beautiful thoughts and staring at the Christmas lights resonates so many warm memories.
Warm Christmas Memory # 1
My Mother's recipes. I'll admit it, my mother is not an expert cook, she could not even create a perfect Christmas recipe that would leave a mark in a culinary book but every time I eat her rice puto or half-cook and often messy hot cake, it felt like happiness to eternity, tasted like I'd never eaten native delicacies in years! You know the feeling when you're being nourished with something tremendous beyond explanation that cures even your out-of-the-blue backache? That even the yucky oatmeal with yellow ginger you think would make you vomit suddenly tastes like Italian's Agleo Oli?Yes, that's what I often feel when I am at home with my mother.
Warm Christmas Memory # 2
Laughter in the neighborhood. Back in the province (in Surigao) everything seems quiet, where at 7:00 in the evening, the river seems silent and the stars and moon stood as the only witnesses of the world, writing its history. Everyone retires to bed and my only resolution to the stillness of the environment is to watch movies. But I love the serenity, the calmness of the surrounding, I have plenty of time to listen to the whistling of the leaves and the splashing of the waves along the shore.
Warm Christmas Memory # 3
My life in Davao City. Perplexing, lonely, unsatisfactory and unfulfilled, I often described the years I spent in Davao with so many displeasure and bad adjectives, I felt I was cheated with life's basic happiness. Or so I thought. Am I just too idealistic with living life in a fantasy land?Or because things did not occur the way I always wanted. Looking back, I know I had been ungrateful with the way I lived, too ungracious with my existence, now I realized how challenging it is to live in a highly urbanized area, very far from the regional setting. With this, I appreciated more the essence of living in a laid-back surrounding . Back in Davao, Christmastime is very peaceful, no blasting of firecrackers and fears of being blown off by guns and fatal powders.
Warm Christmas Memory # 4
Advent songs in the church. Back then, one of the most exciting parts of the early dawn mass and even Advent Sundays was hearing and singing Visayan advent songs, I love it because it entails so many happy childhood memories at Christmastime, it also evokes excitement and longing of the coming of Jesus Christ. But now in Metro Manila, I could no longer hear those songs in the church (no more Visaya songs).
Hmmm sounds like a Christmas song with the same title hehe! But unlike in the song, I won't be making a countdown for each day until the 25th with the list of gifts because there's nothing to count, no turtle doves nor a partridge in a pear tree none even a French hen ^_____^
Honestly, I am not expecting any tangible gifts this Christmas season. No one in my distant memory to ever think that would possibly transform into a generous santa, I am not suspecting anyone either hehe! I am also too grown up to deceive myself that the hanging-of-stocking-phenomenon is all true. The belief once I fancied on Jackson 5's Christmas hit "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" is already a quick-fading memory.
Speaking of gifts, there's at least one person in my circle back then who never failed to give me a present during the holiday season, but now there's no more reason for him to be generous with me, I'm no longer part of the department and no connection either so the kindness bestowed once-upon-a-time is now only a sweet-scented Christmas memory.
So what to believe and relish at the moment? Well, nothing but warm thoughts of the yuletide season.
Tripping down Christmas memory lane seems to be the most relieving option to take while struggling to cope up with homesickness, ekkkk gosh! Why suddenly I felt like missing home this Christmas when there were times in the past that I did not return home for the holiday season? What am I truly missing?
I could not even figure out, soooooo weird!!! What am I thinking right now? Hmmm, lots of beautiful thoughts and staring at the Christmas lights resonates so many warm memories.
Warm Christmas Memory # 1
My Mother's recipes. I'll admit it, my mother is not an expert cook, she could not even create a perfect Christmas recipe that would leave a mark in a culinary book but every time I eat her rice puto or half-cook and often messy hot cake, it felt like happiness to eternity, tasted like I'd never eaten native delicacies in years! You know the feeling when you're being nourished with something tremendous beyond explanation that cures even your out-of-the-blue backache? That even the yucky oatmeal with yellow ginger you think would make you vomit suddenly tastes like Italian's Agleo Oli?Yes, that's what I often feel when I am at home with my mother.
Warm Christmas Memory # 2
Laughter in the neighborhood. Back in the province (in Surigao) everything seems quiet, where at 7:00 in the evening, the river seems silent and the stars and moon stood as the only witnesses of the world, writing its history. Everyone retires to bed and my only resolution to the stillness of the environment is to watch movies. But I love the serenity, the calmness of the surrounding, I have plenty of time to listen to the whistling of the leaves and the splashing of the waves along the shore.
Warm Christmas Memory # 3
My life in Davao City. Perplexing, lonely, unsatisfactory and unfulfilled, I often described the years I spent in Davao with so many displeasure and bad adjectives, I felt I was cheated with life's basic happiness. Or so I thought. Am I just too idealistic with living life in a fantasy land?Or because things did not occur the way I always wanted. Looking back, I know I had been ungrateful with the way I lived, too ungracious with my existence, now I realized how challenging it is to live in a highly urbanized area, very far from the regional setting. With this, I appreciated more the essence of living in a laid-back surrounding . Back in Davao, Christmastime is very peaceful, no blasting of firecrackers and fears of being blown off by guns and fatal powders.
Warm Christmas Memory # 4
Advent songs in the church. Back then, one of the most exciting parts of the early dawn mass and even Advent Sundays was hearing and singing Visayan advent songs, I love it because it entails so many happy childhood memories at Christmastime, it also evokes excitement and longing of the coming of Jesus Christ. But now in Metro Manila, I could no longer hear those songs in the church (no more Visaya songs).
At the Promenade in Greenhills, San Juan
At Trinoma!
The Merry Musical Lights show starts at 7:00 pm with an eight-minute
presentation of light movements and musicals. It's one of the
most popular destinations in the Metro for Christmas Lights hopping
Haaay!Enough with those memories. I'll try to get on with my life at the present ^____^
I wish to receive good graces from heaven this Christmas instead of hoping prince charming will land in my backyard like a shooting star, wonderful blessings from God in particular are more eternal and timely than those topsy-turvy thoughts. Good health, safe and long life for everyone in the family, successful career and peace in the world are my earnest wishes this season. I am also wishing for quick recoveries and peace to the people badly devastated by disasters, calamities and wars. Compare to what they'd experienced and the emotional and physical trauma they'd gone through, not to mention the escalating unemployment in the country, I felt lucky with life and with that I am very grateful.
I wish to receive good graces from heaven this Christmas instead of hoping prince charming will land in my backyard like a shooting star, wonderful blessings from God in particular are more eternal and timely than those topsy-turvy thoughts. Good health, safe and long life for everyone in the family, successful career and peace in the world are my earnest wishes this season. I am also wishing for quick recoveries and peace to the people badly devastated by disasters, calamities and wars. Compare to what they'd experienced and the emotional and physical trauma they'd gone through, not to mention the escalating unemployment in the country, I felt lucky with life and with that I am very grateful.
The oriental-inspired Christmas decorations inside Trinoma
Yesterday, I took a one-day absent from work and went to Greenhills, San Juan for an important appointment and after the meeting, I and my sister went around the area, visiting the Promenade, the Theatre Mall, Music Museum and the Shopping Center to take a glance at its elegant Christmas decorations but we left the area before 6:00 pm so we did not witness the presentation of moving religious-inspired mannequins and Christmas lights. We proceeded to Trinoma and visited the Garden Restaurant area which was covered with gorgeous Christmas lights.
Trinoma is famous for its Merry Musical Christmas Lights show that features a presentation of lights movements and Christmas songs under a magical circus theme, the show presented every hour for 8 minutes from 7:00 pm until the closing time of the mall. The show sets a festive mood to everyone and a feel-good condition of the night in an open garden. It seems you're in a fairytale land enjoying the moment of fun under the cool shade of nature.
What a beautiful yuletide mode in the Metropolis! The Christmas splendor soothes tired mind and body. I am looking forward for a relaxing and peaceful Christmas celebration here. This is my first Christmas in NCR so I'll make the most of my time enjoying the event.
I'll try to find time going around the city and view the Christmas ornaments of other establishments like Ayala Triangle in Makati, Mall of Asia, Star City, etcetera.
Read more about this Christmas holiday adventure in my TRAVEL BLOG.
Read more about this Christmas holiday adventure in my TRAVEL BLOG.
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