By Royanni Miel Hontucan
The December breeze could not be denied once the early sniffles would give you a “warm holiday flu.” Your mom would try to gather all the one peso coins lying around the house to give to evening carolers who will ‘wish you a Merry Christmas’. You will probably start loving this season after you get your godparents’ cellphone numbers.
You might get sick of the annoying commercials on TV that are trying to connect themselves to the Christmas holiday by giving out promos and free juice, free load, free whatever. You might be wondering if your sweetheart will give your heart away after the 25th. You might think twice before giving away the “nice picture frame” or “nice mugs” to your manito or manita. But whatever you might be bothered with or you might be sick of, the Weekly Sillimanian would be your Christmas best friend this ‘wonderful time of the year’:
1.) Feel the Christmas spirit. Let’s face it: you’ve never woken up to the rooster’s wake-up call your whole life nor have you turned off your alarm clock and got up for Simbang Gabi. Why not prove them wrong this year and start to pledge that you could complete the traditional mass? After mass, you could help yourself with a delightful serving of puto, tsokolate, bibingka or maja blanca. These foods are more special during Christmas time. If you complete your masses too, you could have three wishes. Or you might even meet your Christmas sweetheart during communion or the Lord’s Prayer. Put up the Christmas trees higher and buy bigger bells this time. Hear the Christmas carolers and make your Christmas cards with hearts on them.
2.) Do Good. Robinsons Dumaguete is very creative on gift giving programs especially at this time when Typhoon Yolanda devastated Leyte. Instead of buying a new Penshoppe perfume again, why not try to give useful things to charity or a part of your allowance to them for a change? It doesn’t matter if it’s a big or small amount, what matters is how you would really like to give back without expecting to gain back.
If you are a fast food-fanatic, Jollibee is annually presenting their donation box for people to drop whatever they would want to give. Whatever the cause is, for the typhoon victims or for the orphanage, it’s nice to give a warm Christmas to those who deserve it. You could try to visit orphanages, homes for the aged and even the penitentiary. You’ll never know who will be happy because you came by to visit.
3.) Make peace with everyone. Christmas is the perfect time for making it up to people and for asking forgiveness for the wrong things we’ve done. This is a clichéd suggestion for Christmas but it’s the hardest thing to accomplish during the holiday. You might want to say sorry to the teacher who you talked back to or the seatmate who you teased because of her hair. They might not be able to talk it out to you but they’re hoping that you’ll come by and realize the pain you’ve caused. Don’t worry; they won’t be another manito or manita. A very warm and comfortable conversation would do. Or you might drop a call or a Skype with them.
4.) Go to all Christmas parties. Each one could not possibly be the same exchange-gift kind of event. Christmas parties could come in many forms like family dinners, friendship sleepovers, romantic-couple arcade day, batch outings, organization escapades. Any party would do because all of them would contribute to your Christmas memories for the year. Those parties will not be the same parties anymore for next year so it would be better that you went and had fun than not to have gone at all.
Don’t forget: the more parties, the more food and gifts(wallet-alert!).
5.) Re-Watch Christmas movies. Whatever genre you fancy, there’s always a Christmas movie for you. Remember the “Grinch Who Stole Christmas” or how about “Polar Express”. It might be animated or the classic “Home Alone”. It’s always fun to watch how Christmas is more than an event for family-gathering, giving presents and saying sorry. Here you go. We are not Santa or whoever he is with the red nose but don’t just sit on the couch and whine about not being invited to parties or having a bankrupt piggy-bank. There’s always something to do to warm your heart and your spirit. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
