Tonight is a very, very cold night....I walked briskly from my car to the house..and if not for the traces of snow (ice) on the ground, I could have run fast to be inside. It is really super cold!!!
Rick had all the Christmas trimmings out on the living room...In fact, he is right now, putting up the all-red tiny lights. It is a very tall tree and after he has put up the lights, it will be my turn to help him. Like last year, it will be a beautiful Christmas tree loaded with all-red decors.
Like Anne (my daughter), i also have mixed feelings about Christmas, especially being away from the Philippines where Anne, Yani and kids are. I also miss the familiar Filipino christmas songs, native Christmas decors and seeing a lot of parols by the windows and in the streets of Manila. Even if there are also a lot of lights here in Jersey, I have yet to see a lighted parol like what Rick gave me. And nothing can come second to the way we, Filipinos, celebrate the special holidays of the yuletide season. Christmas here is short, simple and very brief. Unlike the Philippine way where there are endless invitations to friends' houses, relatives, godchildren, kissing of the hands (mano), exchange of gifts, children caroling by our gate, the smell of puto bumbong , bibingka (rice cakes), salabat (tea), midnight masses, etc...And may i include, the hassle of being in the midst of traffic jams and crowded malls!
Oh, I could go on and on and on...
On the other hand, the sight and feel of snow is something else too! Snow really completes a "white Christmas". I always think of my grandkids whenever I see the first snowfall. How I wish they were here to experience this....Oh well,in God's time, I know they will in the very near future!
But of course, the relevance and essence of Christmas is Christ..Himself....the traditions and rituals I mentioned above are just trimmings of the celebration.
It's good that you have edited your site, and have started inviting friends to view them!
ReplyDeleteYes, I have mixed feeling about the season, but only because of some things which I have to do because somebody else tells me so. You know... I would rather sit beside the kids and Yani, and eat this holiday through, than put up a hypocrite face to blend with other people you know I do not exactly like...
By the way, we as Christians should CLAIM it--- that whatever we have asked for in prayer, we will declare as having received, so claim it in your heart!--- that we will be there next year, and that God's plans are our plans, so a breakthrough will happen in our lives as well! Say it, that "My grandkids will be in the U.S.!!!" And of course. God, who never turns His face from anyone, will surely honor that! This is what we call the power of the tongue, and so with this, we aim for higher and greater blessings from the Lord! O, diba!!!! God will reveal this in our lives in near time, and so be it!!!
Hope you get to have more and more contacts!!!
Lita: I am glad to hear about the Phillipines traditions. I am currently again working on my radio program about Phillipines History, and it would be good if your friends and family could tell me more about Christmas in the Phillipines, and other things that are traditional in the Phillipines.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know about the history of the Phillipines before it became a Christian country???
Anyway, hello to all from Lita's American friend.
Arleen
The Philippines was under the colonial rule of the Spaniards for over 300 years. They were the ones who introduced Christianity to the Filipinos. You may check the net for the name "Ferdinand Magellan". This Spaniard was among the first influential key personalities during that time. My memory doesn't serve me really quite well because this was Elementary History. I think though, that he was a Portuguese, under King Felipe. Check it out to be sure.
ReplyDeleteBefore Christianity, the Philippines, being an archipelago rich in natural resources were frequently visited by other races, among which were the Chinese, who engaged in barter trading. But Spain, who was a powerful country, went here primarily for spices, (some books I think, described the spice as something w/ a yellow hue, and to me I guess they were referring to a spice called "Saffron" ) loved the place, and so conquered us for more than 300 years.
Art Bell, the commentator who maligned us Filipinos in his article / program had one correct point though--- that Filipinos are not really Asian in practice, but more European, because we really adapted many things from Spain. Our language, for one, is similar in ways, and some habits, in particular. So I guess, Art Bell, well, he is really evil for maligning our race, is quite right in some of his points. But really, that does not give him any license to insult us. He may well go to hell for all I care.
Next came the Americans---that's you!
Then the Japanese---the worst conquerors
Then the Americans again---Gen. Mac Arthur said he will be back, and he did
Then Independence---Finally! Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was the 1st president of the 1st Philippine Republic.
I hope I helped you here with some info.
Arleen,
ReplyDeleteI read that my daughter, Anne, has responded to your question of how the Philippines started Christiany. Glad she did cause I do not remember much of my history on this.
I also forgot to add that our Christmas midnight masses is a 9-dawn masses starting the 16th, and ends on Christmas day itself. It is called "simbang gabi" or night church.
The traditional midnight dinner on Dec. 24th is called "media noche", while the midnight dinner on Dec. 31st (amidst firecrackers or before/after 12:00 midnight) is called "Noche Buena" New Night.
Every household's dining table is full of goodies galore and it is a superstious practice of some to have grapes (for affluence, cause grapes are expensive there), red (for luck), and noodles (for long life)...plus of course, Lechon (suckling roasted pig)...ham, and a ball of cheese. You can visit all your friends and end up expanding your waistline, and gaining a lot of weight! Everywhere, and I mean everywhere...you see people are awake and enjoying the new year. The following morning, the streets are littered with used firecrackers and papers from firecracker wrappers. The roads are clear of traffice cause everyone is asleep!
So there!