25 THINGS I MISS ABOUT MY PINOY CHRISTMAS

1. My mom's macaroni salad

2. My dad's humba

3. Gifts my folks used to put in socks under the tree

4. Christmas songs played on the radio starting Sept 1

5. Confessions on Christmas Eve

6. Strolling along the streets of Lipa after Simbang Gabi

7. Drinking till dawn with my cousins at my lola’s crib

8. Videoke madness

9. Sparklers lit when Christmas dawns

10. Running to my lola’s house for the annual reunion after the Christmas morning mass

11. Going around the barangay, knocking on aunts and uncles’ gates, asking for aguinaldo

12. Counting the aguinaldo by lunchtime

13. Playing Pinoy Henio after the clan’s luncheon feast

14. The noisy neighbours who party till dawn and drink like Vikings

15. My lolo’s tuna afritada

16. Sharing cigarettes and moking with my brother and cousins

17. Giving and receiving gifts to and from my lovely aunts

18. My Ninang Ten’s French musings and Ninong Nikko’s discussion of European economics

19. My lola’s smiling eyes whenever she sees all her grown-up grandchildren playing like little toddlers

20. Tita Sony’s lundres

21. Ninang Yna’s Cathedral Jelly

22. Tita Bhong’s prayers over the meals

23. Sleeping in my lola’s bed with Carla and Grace

24. Seeing all the other relatives, laughing at silly green jokes

25. Ninong Romy callng then Inay starts to cry while she laughs.

Iba ang Pasko sa ‘Pinas.