Christmas is Bro’s Day

"People making list, buying special gifts, taking time to be kind to one and all…"

True to the first stanza of Jackson 5’s song, I always experience this during Christmas Season.

by Dante Rossetti Santos Alejo

Our Christmas vacation started on December 17 though Far Eastern University scheduled December 18 as the last day of classes. Thus, before these dates, I have attended different Christmas parties within my groups and colleagues in the university.

On December 18, I attended my friend’s debut in Laguna and went back to Manila the next day. For that week, it seemed I was on an ordinary vacation and there’s no Christmas season to celebrate because I did not feel we were doing some preparations for the big event.

However as the Christmas day comes fast, I gradually felt our preparations. I just realized that this is the only Christmas that I wasn’t able to buy gifts for my family and it is because I ran out of money for the reason that I spent and paid too many things in school during the first and second week of the month.

I was December 23 when I decided to go out with my mother to Divisoria and buy something that we may add to the gifts wrapped and placed under our Christmas tree.

Divisoria, as I watch on television, is different during this season particularly that day compared to the ordinary days. People were everywhere and I really had to make my arms ready to push and fight over the thousands of people just to reach the area I was heading to.

Evening of December 24 and I was home alone. My father was outside to work and earn money; my brother was in his fiancée’s house and would go home later; my mother had to fetch my sister fresh from Bataan at the bus terminal in Avenida, but they did not meet for some reasons and my sister went home by herself – in that case, my mother went to Divisoria again to buy some stuff.

Before Christmas Eve comes, we still had the time to prepare some food that we haven’t prepared last night and in the morning. The fact is we had not attended the Church Mass.

Anyhow, we set up the sounds in preparation to changing of dates.

For us, December 25 is not just Christmas day or Jesus Christ’s day as most people do. Christmas day is also my brother Christian Denver’s day. We celebra

te the two occasions in one day.

In the morning of 25, mother cooked spaghetti for our additional food. That day, my brother went out to his girl’s house; as well as my father’s and I forgot the reason why he went out. Therefore, I together with my mother and sister was home.

I ate then slept. I woke up at night and decided to open the TV to watch the news.

And then, I ate and slept again.

I believe that Christmas is just for children…

Nevertheless, no matter how much food we have, no matter how much money we have spent during Christmas season, as long as the family stays and celebrates Christmas together, it is enough.

What important is we celebrate my brother’s birthday and Christmas’ real essence.

December 2008, My Busiest Month!

They say, the Philippines has the longest celebration of Christmas wherein we, Filipinos, celebrate it from September to January.
Most of students wait for the Christmas vacation so they can do their thing like what I do. As I had written an article entitled Busiest Week, I declare this month of December the busiest month. I recalled the moments I had this month and I have noticed that I have been committed to different activities.
After my activity last December 12, I was busy doing my projects in A. P. and Mathematics which I’ve passed last December 15 and 17. We, the counterparts of school teachers and staff, were so lucky not to take the remedial examination in most of our subjects.
Our Christmas party was held on the 18th day of the month. I was busy that day though. After the party, I went to SM Megamall and I skated on ice with my friends….and all by myself. After the ice skating, I went to Booksale to look for some books. I also wandered that day just to see anything. I have learned that it was the premiere night of Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat. I didn’t see personally all the actors and actresses who attended the first showing of the movie but I saw Zanjoe Marudo together with Mariel Rodriguez and Maricar de Mesa together with her basketball player husband. During the wait for the artists, I went to Astroplus and looked for some VCDs and DVDs. I bought Fantastic 4 and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Witch, The Lion, and The Wardrobe which I liked best.
The next day, I’ve patiently waited for my groupmates in Filipino to do our project but nobody came.
On the 20th day of December, I went to Bataan then came back to Manila the next day but I left my charger. My aunt came to Divisoria, Manila with my charger to buy there.
That same day, I went to SM Mall of Asia alone and I watched the Crissa Dance Contest wherein my friends were participants representing our school. Unfortunately, they didn’t make it to win. For me, their performance that time was not good enough compare to their last performances.
On the eve of December 24, I met my classmates at Julie’s Bakeshop for our Christmas Carol. We had collected 2270 pesos. Most of my classmates including me, welcomed the Christmas on the street (and that was our first time).
On Christmas day, I stayed in our home then attended the Christmas mass together with my family. After the mass, we opened our gifts placed under our Christmas tree.
I was invited to attend a birthday party the next day. I went to Ma. Diochel Basalo’s house and I learned from Mark Anthony Bajo and Kin Erick Somera that Juan Lorenzo Ortega invited them to attend their family Christmas trip. Knowing that Elma Tondo, Amee Florence Payno, and Lorenzo Perillio wouldn’t come, I voluntarily told them that I would come. I also went to Lara Maglaque’s house and we drank there.
The next day, I went to Ortegas house late though I woke up early in the morning. Only Bagj, Kin, and I joined Ortegas’ Christmas trip at Batangas. We were very happy indeed. I had met Jurenz' relatives there and had fun with them. I came back to Manila the next evening.
Yesterday, I stayed in our house and did wash my clothes.
In this moment, I am busy typing at the computer café then after this, I will be going to SM Megamall to buy another gifts.