It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Christmas season '08 is awesome. I get the best of both worlds by celebrating the season in Maryland and Manila.

I've been in Maryland for over 5 years now and I've grown to love how the season is celebrated here. Radio stations that play only Christmas songs, snow, ginormous Christmas trees in DC and the Rockefeller center, a jillion Christmas movies and television specials on TV, etc.

Of course, nothing beats the Christmas festivities that you grew up on. In 5 days, I will be embarking on a plane that will take me home to Manila. Due to the time difference I will arrive the wee hours of Monday morning, Dec. 22nd. Which is still before Christmas so I will still get to experience the pre-Christmas activities and festivities that I missed so much. Going to Alabang Town Center to do some last minute shopping while Christmas songs play in the background, attending Simbang Gabi, eating puto bumbong right after, wrapping gifts on a big table (doing so in the small confines of my room is extremely difficult - especially with the big toys that need to be wrapped), watching the MMFF Parade of Stars (what? It has always been a ritual), watching ABS-CBN's stars lipsync Christmas songs on TV (pretty lame, but again, a ritual), the awesome Christmas vigil mass where the church choir is at their best and you wish your neighbors a merry Christmas, etc.

I love the days leading to Christmas. For some reason once Dec. 1st hits, I get extra happy (sometimes I even become nicer). It's like the atmosphere changes, and people are jollier and kinder. Must be the Christmas spirit upon us (pretty hard to ignore when you're in a store w/ the Christmas songs playing in the background). But you could feel the anticipation. And then Christmas comes and you spend it with your family, then Dec. 26th comes and it's like, so what do we do now? Hee. Good thing my cousin planned a post-Christmas outing in Tagaytay.

But the Christmas season is definitely the most wonderful time of the year not just because of the things that I mentioned above, but because of the reason for the season - Jesus. This is the time that we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. When we ready our hearts by going to confession or adoration or mass or whatever. I am so thankful that I am coming home to Manila soon because as I previously mentioned in an earlier post, our parish's adoration chapel is open 24/7. And I could just walk or jog there (yay more reason for me to run and get fit). I am so excited for Simbang Gabi as that will serve as my daily mass. This upcoming Christmas vacation is a welcome break from all of the work stuff and service stuff. This is my time to take a step back from my real world and refocus on Christ. Spend more time with him because it is, after all, his long birthday party. What better way to celebrate it than to spend it at the country that is known that have the longest Christmas season :)