Christmas 2011: Missing My Family

Christmas 2011 - no stress.... no gifts to wrap... no panic buying.... no foods to prepare.... no kids screaming – all I can hear is the clock ticking in my room….

Christmas is a big celebration in our family. We do celebrate it by attending a mass on the evening of the 24^th of December then party at house over night. We don’t sleep until the dawn breaks; even the kids. We do partying all night. Then we’ll have late breakfast at my sister’s house.

But prior to that is the huge preparation. Last minute shopping, gift wrapping, preparing prizes for the games, set up for the house, balloons, preparing foods, pleading my stubborn nieces and nephews to prepare a dance number, etc.... So much noise and sometimes it stress me out! But I’m totally happy with it.

This year would be a different Christmas; I’m spending it with my sissy and some friends. I can’t feel its Christmas! My heart is crying and screaming – ‘how I wish I’m home. I miss the stressful Christmas; I miss the loud noise, the crying and laughing around our home, I miss my family.’

Perhaps looking at this old photos will ease the loneliness inside me.

Christmas Tree (2003 -2010)

I grew up with a unique Christmas Tree. It’s made up of coconut leaf stick broom. We painted each strand of stick with white or gold or cover it with silver out of the cigarette packet. Then we cut circles in size of 25 cents out of colored paper. These circles are then glued in each stick about 3 inches distance and filled the stick from tip to tip. Then we’ll put all the sticks in one container. It looks like a fountain. My mom believed that it brings luck to our family.

It’s our dream to have a fancy pine tree inside the house. It was only realized last 2003. Since then we are using it. But we still have the Broom stick Christmas tree in one corner.

2003 - see that broom stick Christmas tree behind my mom?

2004

2005

2006

2007

(no pics for 2008 & 2009)

2010

We usually decorate our house every November 30, which is holiday back home, together with my nieces and nephews. I miss decorating our house for this year.

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We Love Pink!

Pink – is our motif for this Christmas 2010. Everybody participated except for my brother in-law who thought that we’ll wear the usual red, my uncle – a surprise visitor, and me nephew who forgot his pink shirt at their home. Anyway whatever color of the dress we wore that night doesn’t matter.

 

My parents with my uncle

 

My sister Jeia surely miss this event

 

Picture taking by family

 

    

The Super excited kids under the Christmas tree

 

Gift giving

 

 

 

Exuberating with happiness while playing

Party, Party under Banana Trees

Quiet busy this Christmas season, preparing for the big event this Christmas and attending different parties. Anyway here’s a quick peek on our party-party under banana trees.

 

My nephew and nieces enjoying their lunch inside the banana plantation

 

It’s a tradition that my father and his partners organize party for  their laborers. Just a simple preparation.

Pre-Christmas Celebration

Christmas is also our family reunion. And everybody is looking forward to this big day. As mentioned in my previous post, we had pre-Christmas celebration last November 29.

The kids were busy decorating the Christmas tree. Before I was hands-on with decorating and a little selfish (…LOL…) because I want to decorate the house all by myself. As I grow older I realized doing such as activity is merrier when everybody is participating. My role now? I am officially their photographer.

Baby, Hannah was so eager to do her part…… throwing the balls. LOL..

After lunch, mama facilitated the drawing of names for the exchange gifts. We started the exchanging gift last year. Kids are given budget to buy gifts for their manito. The purpose of this is to teach them the value of giving.

Supposed to be it’s a secret, but these young ladies can’t keep it. Too excited perhaps. LOL

Christmas Preparation

25days to go and it’s Christmas! The most awaited season especially the kids. And I’m super excited. We actually have the pre-Christmas celebration last November 29. My siblings and some of their children went home to put the Christmas trimmings. It’s like a feast, some are busy preparing the foods others are decorating our home. Then after the sumptuous lunch we draw lots the names for exchanging gifts for this Christmas.

After that, we planned for the Christmas party. Aside from the exchange gift we’re planning to buy extra gifts for the unexpected visitors. Giveaways and prices for the parlor games are also in our list. I think we’ll going to shop at Chinatown where there are lots of good stuffs that are very cheap. Plus we can lessen if we’ll buy China wholesale.

Back to exchange gifts, I’m a little bit confuse what to give to my manito – my 19 year old nephew. I’m thinking of T-shirt but it seems too common. I know, like other teenagers, he would love gadgets. Mobile phone is too expensive maybe a digital watch would do. I’m eyeing this cute and neat black LED watch at mixmelot.com. The price is just enough for my budget.

My Christmas Wish

Few days from now and its 2010! I will not set any new year’s resolution since I have observed that my resolution before was only good for a few weeks… sometimes, days… (LOL). What I want to share with you is my wish list for 2010.

1. A fulfilling job. Early this month I received a text message from an agency telling me that I am pre-qualified to work in Canada. Hopefully, my papers will be worked out this February. This will be advantageous to me since my sister was already working there.

I’m offering this opportunity to God. I know He knows what is best for me.

2. A teeth brace. This was my target for 2009 but hasn’t done it since a large amount is needed. Hopefully, early next year I’ll be able to raise the money.

3. If God will not permit me to go abroad this year then I’ll finish my master’s degree.

4. A good health for everybody. (I am always praying to God for a healthy body, mind, and spirit for my family)