A December to Remember

I will start out by sharing an interesting fact about Filipino Christmas. Did you know that the longest-running Christmas celebration in the world is currently held in the Philippines? Yes, that is correct. Every year on September 1st, Filipino's holiday season begins. Seeing the bright Christmas lights on the streets and the lovely Christmas trees in every home is truly breathtaking. However, the brightness and light of Christmas, seemed to fade and darken as the pandemic came. But thank God that things are gradually returning to normal this year. Yet, certain things might still look different, but holiday gatherings like Christmas parties and programs are finally possible.

With family and friends, I think, is the perfect way to celebrate Christmas. Every class and section of our school held a Christmas program on December 14, 2022. Pinoy Henyo, newspaper dance, longest line, pass the egg, and other games are played in our room. We also had some food; for lunch, we had Chop Suey, igado, and buttered seafood. We had spaghetti, puto, bibingka, shanghai, and cake for our snack. The exchange gift part of the program was my favorite, and I am so grateful of the gifts I received. Although it was a long day filled with activities, I genuinely enjoyed it.

We spend the day on December 24, 2022 singing karaoke with my family and other relatives. At night, we start preparing and cooking dinner for Christmas Eve. Together with my sisters, we made garlic bread, potato mojos, and pasta. Pizza, sinuman, and bibingka were among the other dishes we ordered.

The pandemic's terrible event is gradually shifting to happiness and brightness. Everybody has faced difficulties this year. However, I think that we should be able to celebrate Christmas and experience its spirit despite the pandemic. The coronavirus will not in any way ruin our holiday festivities. For many of us, having to cancel our eagerly awaited holidays every year is incredibly heartbreaking—like it is losing the most crucial aspect of our existence. The spirit of Christmas lives on in every Filipino's heart, even though the pandemic altered our annual practice of celebrating the holidays.