What was Christmas Like Back Then...

Whenever I hear Christmas songs, a chilly feeling would run down my spine. Christmas songs never fail to enchant me and bring me back to my childhood days.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire....

We never roasted chestnuts when we were young, and we didn’t even have an ‘open fire’. As a young child, I’m more familiar with peanuts and kornik which I would usually buy at the back of ND Girls where I studied. Life was very simple back then. I never knew there were more to the world than how I saw it as a child.

My mom said I was very independent even as a child. At kindergarten, my parents would usually pick me up from school. I was 5 years old when I went to Junior Nursery. One day, the teacher dismissed us early and instead of waiting, I went home by myself. My mom was so surprised to see me that she reprimanded me. Just the same she was very proud of me. Day after day, I grew up to be a very studious girl. Mom said after school I’d read my books first without their prodding, before I even play with my friends.

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir...

One of my memorable experiences in high school was when I joined the choir. I love to sing. I am attracted to people who sing too. No wonder I found myself in a choir at a young age. I feel like I am able to express myself when I sing. It’s a form of release. Those good old days will be with me forever.

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow...

I went carolling too. I was allowed to go carolling with my friends. We made use of soft drink caps hooked together in a string as tambourines. Even if I lived among Muslims in our village, I remember singing Christmas songs for them too and we were very happy to receive a peso or two.

We’ll find it hard to sleep tonight...

Eating together with my family was the best time of all. We’d sit together sharing Spaghetti and Fried Chicken. We laugh together, we sing together and play together. My father would light a Christmas fountain and we enjoyed watching whistle bombs fly, even the sinturon was a delight when used before New Year’s eve. After high school, Noche Buenas were never the same... and now that we have our own families, we seldom gather around together for Christmas eve. I miss those days,but......