December Weddings

Apart from June, December has always been a favorite month for weddings here in the Philippines. It is most practical as it is the time of the year when most Filipinos come home for the longest Christmas season celebrated in the whole world and the future bride and groom are most assured that most of their loved ones from all over would be present to witness this memorable event in their lives.

Truly well-planned weddings would not be complete without hiring a professional photographer to cover and immortalize this, hopefully, once in a lifetime milestone. Here in Leyte, we have at par, if not better wedding lensmen who capture your wedding moments with an artistic eye and an instinct of the perfect shot.

Too bad I discovered this after my own wedding, for I would have loved having my wedding portrait done as beautifully as this:


(Photo courtesy of D. Martinez)

A List of Favorite Christmas Goodies to GIve Away

They say 'tis always better to give and receive and in the Season of Yuletide many Filipinos take this to heart which is why despite the economic crunch and subprime crisis in the States whose effects that has been felt all over the world, they still come up with their Christmas list stretching budgets to buy gifts for their loved ones. In the days running to D-day (Christmas day), malls are so filled with people making their last minute shopping that you think, "crisis? what crisis?". Oh well, didn't I read somewhere that shops make more on Christmas than the rest of the year combined?

Yet with all the choices available, a few still stand out as good 'ol favorites as perfect Christmas giveaways. Let me name some of them which owe their making it to this list their being timeless, popular, convenient and no-fuss wrapping and of course, with these tight time, cheap.

1. Without a doubt, the ubuquitous fruit cake. A favorite for its longevity, this cake has had the unearned (and unfair) rep of being recycled gifts. I beg to disagree, a good one lasts no more than two days on our Christmas table. I like the nuts, raisins inside and the bittersweet taste of the brandy.



2. Sweetened or Honey-Glazed Pork ham. "The star of the Noche Buena Feast" goes the tag line of a best selling brand. This has been one of my usual gifts for friends and in-laws and, tagline notwithstanding, a Noche Buena in my home is never complete without it.



3. Bakugan. Another one of those Japanese toy creations that has got our kids hooked. Its actually a ball that when rolled transforms into a robot. You get many imitations from sidewalk stores that run from P45.00 to P75.00 but the real and good ones sell for P220.00 up.



4. Vaccum-packed noche buena grocery items. These gift packs contain items that you can use for your holiday feast like fruit cocktail, cream, condensed milk, can of mushroom, spaghetti noodles and perfect no-fuss give aways as it is already beautifully packaged.



5. Novellino wines. I really like their wines, most especially the fruit-flavored ones. Its cheap and comes in lovely bottles. Help the economy and buy one as its maker is a genuine Filipino company and the wines are proudly Philippine-made.



6. Gift Certificates. Actually the most practical gifts as it gives the recipient the choice to buy what they want.

7. A year's subscription of Good Housekeeping magazine. With its practical tips and insightful articles (they were wise enough to include one of mine, hehehe) ), its the perfect reading companion for the married woman with kids; and

8. A lot of loving and goodwill which is free, abundant and enviroment-friendly.

A Loooooooong Christmas Season...

From the tolling of the church bells in the wee hour of 3:30 in the morning of December 16 which signals the start of the Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo to the "Day of Three Kings" which falls on the first Sunday of January of the following year, it is one long Christmas season in the only pre-dominantly Roman Catholic country in Asia. You might say this long Yuletide season is retailers' heaven but in the Philippines it is much, much more than just endless shopping for gifts on every one's favored Christmas lists. It is a time for much-awaited family gatherings and reunions. Relatives from abroad look forward to coming home to savor the unique Filipino Christmas experience which everyone who has left attest is like no other. (For those who can't be here, I hope am not adding to your homesickness.)

Where else could you find the fervent devotion and celebratory mood of our countrymen in the "Simbang Gabi" wherein you wake up even before the roosters signal the crack of dawn to hear the novena mass at 4:30 in the morning? You then come home to a breakfast of puto, bibingka and other native delicacies. You do this for nine days straight until the morning of the day before Christmas. Onli in da Philippines.

Come Christmas Eve, families hear Mass and then gather for a Noche Buena feast. On Christmas day, children then go around houses with Christmas greetings in exchange for candies and other goodies. Not quite unlike the Western "trick or treating" on Halloween.

Yes, nowhere is the birth of Christ more celebrated than here in Pinoy country.

My First Ever Christmas Wishlist

Its only nine days to go before Christmas and already the papers, the Internet, tv and radio are chock-full of the wish lists of writers, columnists and celebrities (along with the mad dash by companies to have their products included in such lists) and while I may not get the freebies (ooops, I'm not sure, just a lucky guess) that all of the above gets from grateful businessmen and owners of the a-listed products, I do want to post here some of the things I hope to get from Santa this Christmas. It's not just a "me" list but one that includes all that I hope for my family, my friends, my country and this world and we sure need most of that, HOPE, for the difficult times ahead. So here goes:

1. Sony VAIOS laptop to replace my NEO antiquated one (although me and my NEO has shared so many things together it pains me sometimes to let it go);

2. Canon 10 megapixel digital camera in lieau of the Olympus that got "cooked" by my daughter;

3. At least a size 8 body for me to fit into the many "Banana Republic" slacks that my clueless sister bought from the States (who's unaware that post-natal figures expands exponentially according to the number of children had);

4. Another published article to inspire me to keep on writing even when writer's block rears it's ugly head sometimes;

5. LCD television set in time for our newly-built house;

6. A happy Christmas gathering with my sisters and parents together with my daughter and hubby;

7. More readers for this blog and the other one I have over Friendster;

8. Coach handbag;

9. A truly effective concealer for my dark circles so I look my best for the countless Christmas parties ahead (mmm, they say M.A.C.'s got a good one);

10. This wonderful pair of South Sea pearl earrings I saw over at Trinoma;

11. Knock on the noggin on our good congressmen for them to bring their Cha-cha moves from the halls of congress to the dance floor (really now, much urgent things needs their attention and not this ill-timed efforts to change the basic law of the land);

12. Good health for my family;

13. Self-control and discipline to stay on my nth diet despite all the Holiday foodie temptations coming my way;

14. A beautiful wooden living room set for my living room-in-the-making (still is , after four months, sigh...);

15. Family photos/portrait taken by professional photographer in his uber-professional, state-of-the-art studio (now, if I can only convince my very shy hubby to make that pose);

16. Sinfully delicious Red Ribbon Chocolate Fondue Cake without all the guilt (mmmm...);

17. Iphone, or then again a Nokia E series navigator would be better;

18. Less green house gases; and of course

19. For hope, love and prosperity to abound .... Merry Christmas to one and all!!!!