Christmas Day

Christmas is the one season of the year when generosity is a national pastime. I love it, because it’s the celebration of our Savior’s birthday and I just can’t think of a more wonderful time of the year.

For most Filipinos, Christmas is extremely important and revered holiday. It is the most anticipated fiesta of the year and is celebrated accordingly.

It has been a Filipino tradition for children to visit their relatives like aunts, uncles, grandparents and even godparents on this day in order to pay their respects. This custom of showing respect is called “pagmamano” wherein children take their elder’s hand to his/her forehead. In return, children are given “aguinaldo”. This aguinaldo is usually in the form of fresh peso bills (malulutong na pera) in envelopes called “ampao”.

Christmas is a day of family closeness. And in general, it is usually the Lola (grandmother) who is the center of every family’s Christmas gatherings. That’s why, my boyfriend’s family together with me, went to Lola’s place (his father’s mother). I don’t have relatives nearby coz most are in provinces, so my own family didn’t get to visit them during this season. But even though, we still see to it, that we didn’t forget them by greeting them through text and long distance calls.

During our visit to my boyfriend’s Lola’s place, I met lots of relatives: cousins, aunts, uncles in tatay’s side. I was so overwhelmed coz they’re all nice to me. They welcome me wholeheartedly ^_^

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