Simple joys

Remember the Christ in Christmas, the bishops are reminding their flock.

But of course Christ will be remembered. On the other hand, we’re only human; people need not only to survive but also to enjoy creature comforts.

So kids wish for toys, aside from two new front teeth; older folks wish for iPads and Samsung’s 3D LED TV. And some women wish they’re young enough to declare truthfully that all they want for Christmas is their two front teeth. I made that wish many moons ago and got two giant buckteeth that required corrective braces. Truly, you have to be careful what you wish for.

In this season of gift giving, what do you want for Christmas? The question was posed by US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr., who was the main guest at a dinner the other night hosted for a small group by consular ladies Fortune Ledesma, Agnes Huibonhua and Betty Lao Ang.

Among those who answered the question was a woman who has everything money can buy: Tessie Sy-Coson, who’s running the SM chain of super malls started by her father Henry Sy. Tessie said that for Christmas, she would relish a moment of rest from work. And perhaps a no-frills Nokia (her preferred mobile phone brand) with a larger font.

Tessie admitted that her mother is more practical and wants money, money, and more money… but mainly for giving away in this season of cheer.

People who engage in a lot of charity work can risk appearing materialistic. Thomas, the boy from New York City, said he wouldn’t mind getting a Jaguar for Christmas – the type that British Ambassador Stephen Lillie recently received from his home office. Lillie’s deputy, Colin Crorkin, also has a brand-new Range Rover from the UK.

Betty Lao Ang admitted she already has everything in life – a happy family and wealth, including a Jaguar. In the twilight of her life, she just wants peace of mind. If you want material things, she told me, the wanting never stops.

Thomas laughed and asked, where are the wishes for money? You know that popular line: I’ve been rich, I’ve been poor, and believe me, it’s better to be rich! Fortune and Agnes, who also engage in charity work, heartily agreed.

If he had a king’s (or the Sy family’s) fortune, Thomas might be able to splurge on a top-of-the-line Scotch whisky, although he might have to go to Scotland to find it. At 5,000 pounds per bottle, only people like Tessie Sy-Coson can legitimately afford it, but all she drank at the dinner was sweetened Chinese tea brought by Betty, plus hot water.

Thomas can instead settle for whiskies that a Scot would drink for a special occasion like Christmas. Only Scotch whisky would do for another guest at the dinner, Alistair MacDonald, ambassador of the European Union.

The EU envoy prefers single malts from Islay (pronounced Aye-la), southernmost of the Hebridean islands off the southwest coast of Scotland. Islay was the original homeland of the MacDonald clan, until it was seized from them by the Crown for involvement in a failed coup in the 16th century.

If you can find them in Manila, here are the whisky brands a Scot recommends: Laphroaig, Bownore, Ardbeg, Bruichladdich, Caol Ila, and MacDonald’s personal favorite, Lagavulin, which is the smokiest and most seaweed-flavored. For pronunciations, you have to ask him yourself.

In the olden days in Scotland, people celebrated on New Year’s Day instead of Christmas, a date linked to pagan tradition.

Swedish expatriates, for their part, told me that their big Christmas celebration is traditionally on the 24th, when families and friends gather from lunch until evening when gifts are exchanged. The 25th is just rest day.

After the bells literally ring in the New Year in Scotland, people traditionally expect a knock on their door from a “first-footer” – the first person whose foot comes across the threshold after midnight. Alistair told me the first-footer – a neighbor, a friend, or even someone from the household, must be tall, dark and handsome, so perhaps Agnes should go there for the fulfillment of her Christmas wish: a new boyfriend.

The first-footer traditionally brings three gifts: a bottle of whisky, a Scottish fruitcake heavily laden with fruit called a Black Bun, and a lump of coal to symbolize warmth.

At the stroke of midnight, the street revelry starts. No fireworks, but people can then get wasted on their favorite single malt.

Not quite a Jaguar, but simple things in life can bring immeasurable joy.

* * *

Thomas understands that like beauty, the value of some gifts can be in the eye of the beholder.

The US government’s gift to President Aquino is something that President Barack Obama would consider priceless: a copy of “When the Game was Ours” – a book about the NBA, written by basketball superstars Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, and personally autographed by the authors. P-Noy would probably prefer the latest model of the Glock automatic.

The autographs were made possible with the help of the Filipino-American coach of the Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra, native of San Pablo, Laguna, who was here in August for an outreach for children on the invitation of the US embassy.

Also participating in the outreach was American Fulbright scholar Rafe Bartholomew, who launched a book this year, titled “Pacific Rims: Beermen Ballin’ in Flip-Flops and the Philippines’ Unlikely Love Affair with Basketball.” These long titles can be as much fun as the tongue twisters of the Scots.

Alistair and his wife Brigitte are going to Brussels soon at the end of his tour of duty, and spending some moments with them this holiday season is a precious Christmas gift.

For my Christmas greeting, I give you the old Scots’ “Selkirk Grace,” which MacDonald used to close his speech at this year’s St. Andrew’s Ball:

Some hae meat and cannae eat,

and some wad eat that want it,

but we hae meat and we can eat,

so let the Lord be thankit.