It seems like centuries ago when as kids at rural Trancoville, we would go caroling around the neighborhood with homemade tansan serving as musical instrument to accompany the tiny voices we had.
The rule was if you do not know the song, sing louder to be entitled to the bounty for the night, which was almost always 25 centavos. The last number would always be “Apo di kami agpili ti aginaldo nga awaten mi. Uray nu kendi uray nu kwarta, pada-pada nga awaten mi,” which we don’t hear now played in the airwaves or if it does, the last line would probably be, “Uray nu kwarta. Uray nu kwarta, uray nu kwarta pada-pada nga awaten mi.”
After a two-year hiatus brought about by the pandemic, wherever we go, we now are surrounded with glistening lights, holiday songs of merriment and all of the air, sights, tastes, and smells of the season.
In the old days, it was not called the holiday season; the Christians called it “Christmas” and went to church; the Jews called it “Hanukkah” and went to the synagogue; the Baguio boys went to parties and drank.
‘Tis the season of the year when people all act a little nicer, we smile a little easier, cheer a little more. For at least 12 days or a couple of hours out of the whole year, we transform people that we always hoped we would be.
The city is filled to the brim with intense and joyful festivities and one can’t really help but smile and say there is hope for us.
There’s so much to look forward to during this year’s holiday season – baking lasagna and sending out to dear and faithful friends, shopping for small gifts for family and friends and the jolly spirit as always is contagious.
Of course, there are some Scrooges of the past who seem to hate Christmas and they find themselves a little Grinch-like every day.
Loosen up man and get some holiday cheer on you, laugh a little and loud, remove the frown and bring an instant chuckle on you.
People pass each other on the street and say “Merry Christmas!” “Naimbag nga Pascua”, “Maligayang bati”, or “Happy Hanukkah!” from our family to yours then.
Cheers!
