Back when I was a child, I am really and so much excited about Christmas. Whenever the ‘Ber-months’, come, I can’t wait for the 25th day of December. It is my favorite season of the year, next to my birthday. I can remember that when I was younger, I always countdown how many days are left before Christmas.
My mom was an early bird because on or before October, she made sure that I already have my Christmas attire (pamasko in Tagalog). It is not something like ‘Santa Claus’ attiere, I mean, new clothes. Everything is new, that’s why I really love Christmas, just like the first day of school.
Here in the Philippines, it is our tradition that every Christmas we will visit our godparents and we will do our custom which is the‘pagmamano’ and they will give as ‘aginaldo’ which is mostly toys, clothes and even money.
I am a very typical kid then because I really do believe that Santa really existed. I put my sock on our wall before Christmas arrives. I’m trying hard to be a good boy due to there’s a belief that Santa won’t give gifts to stubborn and naughty kids. So, I behaved. But as I age, I figured out that it is only my mother who put gifts, candies and money in my sock when I was eight-ten years old. What the… haha.
My cousins and I did carol then. We used to sing Christmas songs together with a rattle. I can still remember that our group was the biggest earner among all the kids who caroled. And our parents used to remind us that we should only carol once a year because our neighbors will be tired of us, of hearing our voices and giving us money.
Also, here in the Philippines, we have this so-called ‘Simbang Gabi’ or Misa de Gallo. It is being held nine days before Christmas which often starts at the 16th day of December. Commonly, we can hear the mass at four o’clock in the morning. They say if you do not miss a single day of the ‘Simbang Gabi’, your wish will be granted. Maybe, true.
One thing I like about the ‘ber-months’, the radio stations starts to play Christmas songs. Whenever I hear those songs, I can feel Christmas is already coming. My favorites are ‘Christmas in our hearts’, and ‘Give love on Christmas Day.’ Those songs are timeless.
But now, I am already 19 years old, I really don’t know why I can’t feel the season of the upcoming Christmas like the way I used to feel back then when I was a child. It is already November 7 and there’s only 48 days left before Christmas, and still, I ain’t excited about it. Maybe, it is true that Christmas is only for children because as you grow old, you can really understand the true and deeper meaning of X-mas, which is sharing and giving your blessings to other people. But then, we keep on forgetting that it is not only during X-mas we should share and give. It should be everyday.
When I was still a little kid, I really don’t want December 25 to come to its end because I waited so long for that day to com so why it shall end so soon? I really feel bad when the clocks tick to ten or eleven because I know that any moment soon, Christmas will be over.
But luckily, we, Filipinos, celebrate Christmas longer than any races. Here in the Philippines, it is extended up to New Year. That’s why it is more fun in the Philippines. J
Last year, Christmas day seems to be an ordinary day unlike the previous years. I keep on asking myself then if it is already Christmas ‘cause I can’t really feel it. Maybe, I’m grown up already. I just felt that it is already Christmas when our whole family was together at my grandparents’ place to celebrate the season.
I wonder what this 2012 Christmas will be.
