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by Yoly Tumangan Tubalinal.
December 1, 2011
I have avoided going home to the Philippines on Christmas for the same reasons many of you have done so yourselves, “magastos” (expensive). Not only is the airfare exceedingly high, especially if you failed to buy it early enough but the notion of relatives, friends and neighbors visiting on Christmas day and that uncomfortable feeling that I’d be disappointing them if I had no gift to give them on Christmas always made me give up my plan almost as quickly as I had thought of it.
Early this year, though, I broached the idea to my elder brother in San Diego, who caught me barefooted with his swift decision to buy himself and his daughter a ticket days after we talked. It will be a family reunion of sorts and given that I planted the seed, there was no turning back on the trip for me. So there, me and my big mouth finally got me hooked into a trip home for Christmas. Bart could do nothing but agree to come. Of course, I had to sell him the idea since as an accountant, he hates leaving during tax season.
As the day of our departure draws near, Bart and I did a little shopping only to find out a week before we leave that Cathay Pacific only allows a combined weight of 44 lbs for checked in baggage per person. I guess we’ll ship for the first time a balikbayan box or two instead. The cost of excess baggage is way too much to even dream about it.
So, our itinerary is done. Except during our tour days, Bart and I have arranged to stay with our own families to afford us more time with them. I’m willing to even let him stay with his family on Christmas day, unless he’d choose to be with me and my family in Cabanatuan. I’m excited to savor the scent and taste of Christmas in the province. I wonder how much have changed as far as our tradition goes?
Will our Noche Buena rekindle happy childhood memories when everybody was still around? Are we going to be up till the wee hours talking and eating like there’s no tomorrow? I wonder who’d laugh the loudest now that our brother, Boy, whose infectious laughter used to fill the room, is gone. I never thought I’d miss my elder brother Jaime’s childish habit of asking for money whenever I was home. Jaime was the first one to leave us a few years before he even turned 50. With his demise, he left 6 orphans whom Mother took under her wings. These kids became her raison d’etre. She lived till almost 96.
I imagined the fruits- atis, rambutan, buko, etc. and native dishes I’d be indulging in – ginataang pinipig with gabing sungsong, my sister’s “tinumis” (Cabanatuan style of dinuguan), boiled or grilled eggplants,camote tops and burong isda, grilled bangus Dagupan (milkfish), hito (catfish) and more.
But God has a way of putting me in check. He probably wants me to stick to a healthy diet but knows it will be impossible to make me toe the diet line without divine intervention. Having been hospitalized twice in less than 4 weeks, the last one almost made me spend my Thanksgiving hooked to an IV or NG tubes shoved into my abdomen from my nostrils through my throat, I knew I’d be good and would follow doctor’s order. Thank God, I got out in time for our Thanksgiving dinner at my son’s condo in Chicago.
To take my mind away from all the feasting I could only watch but never touch,I think instead of the day Bart and I will meet with our long lost friends. It has been half our lifetime since we last saw them and it makes me wonder how they are now? Have the feisty ones lost the attitude and become changed men and women? Or have they retained some of their ways,habits,looks, enough for us to still see them in their youth?
Now that I’ve set our itinerary,I’m finding out that three weeks isn’t nearly enough. I was sorry I didn’t convince Bart to let me stay a week or two more. But then, what kind of a wife am I to leave my husband alone in his busiest time?
Oh well, I guess three weeks is enough and Christmas with our sisters and brothers and their families will still be filled with joy and warmth of family love no matter what.
I’ll miss the very spiritual Christmas we have at IPJM. I hope I can get our family into this mood and start a tradition of sharing God’s Word and the true message of Christmas with them who have never known Jesus the way we did.
To our readers, may you have a wonderful Christmas filled with the love of Jesus and the warmth of family and friends.
Merry Christmas! Maligayang Pasko!