SHARINGS – Nina

GIVE LOVE ON CHRISTMAS


In our household, ito ang scenario pag malapit na ang Pasko, noon. For Christmas décor, instead of fake green tree, we had fake white tree with multi colors decor made by the children in addition to cheap colorful balls. Panay ang patugtog ng Christmas carols especially. the long album by the Carpenters.

For SImbang gabi, our barkadas would clap near our windows to wake us up and off we’d go. Couldn’t afford to buy bibingka so hanggang tingin at amoy lang kami but we were having the best of times.

Day before Christmas is our mother’s birthday and our parents’ wedding anniversary. thus, a big celebration is held on that day. In the early days, simple lang ang handa, basta meron one queso de bola and one leg of ham from Chinatown. At midnight, we open our gifts. We get new dress to wear the following day. Kaming siblings, we exchange gifts - suklay, chocnut or bubblegum.

Christmas day is the big day we spend always in Proj 8 with the rest of the cousins. To this day, I always remember the menu particularly my two favorites: chicken curry and macaroni salad. We get gifts from aunts but the excitement of them all were cash gifts from Tita Encar and Tita Doris - brand new one peso bills !!!

Nang medyo meron na kami, the season became a season for giving sa mga parents ko. They have gifts for all ages that they give away day after Christmas. They also prepare food for these less fortunate relatives and friends who come to the house. The joy in my parents faces - hindi ma-drawing, kasi happy and proud sila to provide joy and share blessings with these people. We normally help wrap the gifts - tshirts, pantulog, groceries, chocolates for the kids - tapos may konting pera pa for pamasahe. We also help serving them food.

Christmas has always been a very happy season but it saddens me a bit to remember that my parents are no longer with us. Miss na miss ko talaga sila.....

Cannot wait for your longer Christmas issue. May God bless us all and may we be able to give back just like what my parents did during their lifetime.


(Thank you, Nina. Natutuwa ako sa mga sharings na tinatanggap ko. Aside from the nostalgia bit, marami pa rin akong natututuhan, and at the same time, mga personal na prinsipiyo sa buhay na naba-validate.

Yes, like, giving back… or something like paying it forward. That is, in our own little way. Iyon lamang kaya natin at iyong maluwag sa ating kalooban. Kung minsan, ang sharing ay hindi lamang sharing material things, but also, sharing yourself, your time, your attention, your ideas (unsolicited advice? Heh, heh… huwag naman…)

Tulad sa household namin ngayon. Nang bago kaming dating sa Marikina, pagtuntong pa lamang ng Disyembre, halos kasabay ng pagsindi ng christmas light na isinasabit ko sa may puno ng yucca sa harap ng aming bahay, heto na ang sandamakal na mga bata na nagkakaroling. Sa simula ay nakatutuwa silang bigyan, ngunit kalaunan, ubos na ang aking pambigay. Kaya, naisipan naming pagsabihan ang mga ito na bumalik na lamang ng araw ng Kapaskuhan. Kaya sa hilera ng mga bahay sa kalye namin, sa gate namin siguro marami ang kumakatok upang mamasko sa araw mismo ng Pasko.

Ang kartero na umulan at umaraw ay nagdadala ng sulat sa amin, ang magdidyaryo, na bukod sa pagdedeliber ng peryodiko ay nababayani pang makatulong mag-garden kung minsan, ang labandera nang wala pa kaming washing machine, ang tagadala ng Time MagazIne at Reader’s Digest, ang tagabigay ng bill ng Meralco, Nawasa (Manila Water na ngayon), credit cards, ang taga-Waste Management (basura), ang tagagupit ng mga damo sa gilid ng kalye, mga suki sa palengke, ang kargador, teller sa bangko --- ito at ang marami pang iba ay kasama sa mga inaalala pagdating ng Kapaskuhan. Pwera pa ang mga kamag-anakan at kaibigan.

Kung iisipin, bakit ba natin ginagawa ito? Ang totoo’y masarap tumulong. Ang hirap ay limited lamang ang ating resources na makatulong. Kaya siguro, kung dumarating lamang ang Kapaskuhan, na medyo lumuluwag, wika nga, nagkakaroon ng pagkakataong gawin ito.

Ang isipin natin siguro ngayon ay kung ano ang mayroon tayo, inherently, na pwede nating ibahagi sa iba. A gift given to us by God which we can share with others. A sort of a talent, perhaps that could benefit others who are interested. Parang paying it forward na rin ito.

For me, siguro, like this blog.

For whatever benefit others may find in it…

Reading it to “kill” time…

To reminisce…

To learn something of the “good, old days”…

Or whatever (sabi nga ng mga bata ngayon)...