Merry Christmas

CEBU, Philippines – In less than 48 hours, my beloved readers will be celebrating this most memorable event of the Christian faith with the family, bonding and sharing Christmas presents. Christmas, according to Doreen Fernandez, in her book "Palayok," means "family: coming home, being together, giving thanks with the best one can afford, renewing the faith, affirming the bonds rooted in culture."

Earlier, we workers in the print, radio and television received invitations from the better hotels to an annual event called Christmas Tree Lighting. I was able to attend the parties hosted by Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu, Quest Hotel, Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort, but unfortunately could not make it to Plantation Bay.

The most anticipated event for many media practitioners, however, is the annual Christmas celebration hosted by the Aboitiz Group of Companies. This year, the affair was called "Media Got Talent" and many guests eagerly participated in the games because the prizes at stake were really generous.

With the threat of an upcoming typhoon, some Christmas parties were either cancelled or moved to another date. Fortunately, Cebu was spared because of the intercession from the multitude of the faithful, and celebrations are now on schedule. Festive Christmas decors, performances and dishes are standards during the celebrations are featured here.

Many of the households are now busy preparing the food for the traditional Noche Buena, a traditional Christmas Eve dinner with many Filipinos. The same fare lasts until Christmas day; where whether at breakfast, luncheon or dinner, only immediate members of the family share this most intimate meal.

In yesteryears, our family followed of tradition of having lunch together on Christmas Day with our grandparents, at our ancestral home in Parian. We had lechon with special sauce made of roast liver, toast bread and garlic, pochero (Cebuano version of Cocido Madrileno, with beef, bone marrow, ham, chorizo de bilbao, head of cabbage, carrots and chicken peas), bami-i and kimki (soup with a whole native female chicken colored yellow by its own fat).

The most awaited dish was Lola Empings' fresh lumpia. She would wake up very early in the morning to buy the freshest ingredients in Carbon (supermarkets were yet to be invented at the time!) and spend at least six hours to prepare and cook this delicacy (lumpia ubod, excuse me, what's that?).

Many of my aunts and uncles had birthdays from December 25 to January 6 and therefore, the Christmas season was one long series of family dinners and reunions.

In closing this article - my last before Christmas this year - let me share this prayer to all the faithful: "Lord, Christmas is a time for joyful celebration for we remember your gift sending your son Jesus Christ to save us all. And we remind ourselves; here lies the true meaning of Christmas… Thank you, Lord, for Christmas."

Merry Christmas, everyone! And may our New Year be happy, peaceful and prosperous!