In a few weeks time, the BER season will reach its climax; Those times of the year where the Christmas spirit is just up above your head. That one fine dawn, you'll wake up serenaded by Jose Mari Chan's A Perfect Christmas or other Christmas songs on the radio and the cool December air embracing you with a familiar, teasing, chill.
That by the time you eat your breakfast, you're gonna have that yearly, long stare at the calendar and giggle while counting the days left till Christmas. And you will feel all hyped up by the old Christmas decorations your Mom would start looking for and hang them later around your house.
The tinkling and twinkling of Christmas lights you'll see just about everywhere. The Star lanterns that your younger siblings would ask to bring to hang up on their Grade School Classroom's ceiling. A singing group of shabbily clothed children caroling and wandering on the streets by night. And of course, those big and small Christmas Trees they stand on parks that give children, lovers, SMP's or even a scavenger a merry Christmasy' delight.
While at school, there comes this Christmas phenomenon raising the eyebrows of your unabashedly strict and sharp-tongued teacher. "The closer Christmas is, the more students are present.". Why is that so? I asked myself countless times. Although it's insinuated towards those who are always absent or late in class (myself included), still, I REALLY WONDER WHY?
I guess everyone's either too excited or too worried about Christmas break that they try to spend more time with friends and classmates than going home early (un)like most regular school days.
Remember the time when you huddle in front of the room with your classmates and plan about your Christmas Party? My God, the plan gets crazier and crazier each year. But what's crazier than that is the twitterpatting times you've seen your crush(es) - you just get to see them more often or tend to (yikes!), before the Christmas break.
CRAZY! The competition with your brainy classmate might be but vengeance always comes in the holy kind of way. Complete the 9 mornings - and when that geek doesn't, it's called revenge!
Oh that reminds me! By the 16th of December, is the highly anticipated Misa De Gallo or Rooster's Mass, Simbang Gabi in Filipino. Those dawn spent at the Church were the most memorable holy dawns of my life. Not only that you'll get enlightened by the words of God but you get to experience the entertainment brought to you by people either yawning or secretly sleeping inside the church. Hey, I do thata lot sometimes, I know it's quite rude but it's the least funny thing you'll notice during mass.
That by the time you eat your breakfast, you're gonna have that yearly, long stare at the calendar and giggle while counting the days left till Christmas. And you will feel all hyped up by the old Christmas decorations your Mom would start looking for and hang them later around your house.
The tinkling and twinkling of Christmas lights you'll see just about everywhere. The Star lanterns that your younger siblings would ask to bring to hang up on their Grade School Classroom's ceiling. A singing group of shabbily clothed children caroling and wandering on the streets by night. And of course, those big and small Christmas Trees they stand on parks that give children, lovers, SMP's or even a scavenger a merry Christmasy' delight.
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| Me(in akimbo) and my siblings; Madam Ana(on my left) and Budoy(on my right). Haha! Real names are Quennie and Godwin though. hehe |
While at school, there comes this Christmas phenomenon raising the eyebrows of your unabashedly strict and sharp-tongued teacher. "The closer Christmas is, the more students are present.". Why is that so? I asked myself countless times. Although it's insinuated towards those who are always absent or late in class (myself included), still, I REALLY WONDER WHY?
I guess everyone's either too excited or too worried about Christmas break that they try to spend more time with friends and classmates than going home early (un)like most regular school days.
CRAZY! The competition with your brainy classmate might be but vengeance always comes in the holy kind of way. Complete the 9 mornings - and when that geek doesn't, it's called revenge!
Oh that reminds me! By the 16th of December, is the highly anticipated Misa De Gallo or Rooster's Mass, Simbang Gabi in Filipino. Those dawn spent at the Church were the most memorable holy dawns of my life. Not only that you'll get enlightened by the words of God but you get to experience the entertainment brought to you by people either yawning or secretly sleeping inside the church. Hey, I do that
Aside from the awesome Christmas decorations, stained glass windows, crèche and the grandeur of God. Admittedly, one of the best parts of the whole Simbang Gabi thing is the eating part. Ohh. .the excitement you'll feel by seeing Filipino native delicacies such as Puto Bungbong, Bibingka, Puto Maya, Palitawand Kutsinta! And the time you'll get to eat them, you can really say "Thanks be to God!"
There's only one thing I always fail to see every time I attend the Rooster's Mass. They say that during the Christmas holiday the planet Venus can be seen clearly from the sky. They say it shines the brightest among any other stars during the breaking of dawn. I've been wanting to see that for the past Christmas dawns and I hope someone would point it for me this year!
The faster Christmas is approaching, the more you'll also think of its downsides. Aside from all the material and frustrating things you may encounter during the season perhaps the most painful thing you'll ever thought of is the idea that you may not or really cannot be with some important people in your life. Just like my Grandfather, it's been a year since he was gone and this is gonna be the second Christmas we'll spend without him. And it's just so saddening that by the twelfth of December 25, we won't be able to kiss, hug or tell him "Merry Christmas, Tay!" while doing "Mano Po" to him.
Anyway, there are plenty of things to celebrate and crave for this Christmas. Be it the Lechon, Ham or Mango Float on the table during Noche Buena, or the grapes and Castanas your Lola would hide inside the fridge, the gifts you would give and receive, or simply the life and blessings given by God. After all, Christmas is celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Son of the living God.
So let's jingle our bells because it's Christmas Time Once Again!
Advance Merry Christmas!
There's only one thing I always fail to see every time I attend the Rooster's Mass. They say that during the Christmas holiday the planet Venus can be seen clearly from the sky. They say it shines the brightest among any other stars during the breaking of dawn. I've been wanting to see that for the past Christmas dawns and I hope someone would point it for me this year!
The faster Christmas is approaching, the more you'll also think of its downsides. Aside from all the material and frustrating things you may encounter during the season perhaps the most painful thing you'll ever thought of is the idea that you may not or really cannot be with some important people in your life. Just like my Grandfather, it's been a year since he was gone and this is gonna be the second Christmas we'll spend without him. And it's just so saddening that by the twelfth of December 25, we won't be able to kiss, hug or tell him "Merry Christmas, Tay!" while doing "Mano Po" to him.
Anyway, there are plenty of things to celebrate and crave for this Christmas. Be it the Lechon, Ham or Mango Float on the table during Noche Buena, or the grapes and Castanas your Lola would hide inside the fridge, the gifts you would give and receive, or simply the life and blessings given by God. After all, Christmas is celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Son of the living God.So let's jingle our bells because it's Christmas Time Once Again!
Advance Merry Christmas!
