A Different Christmas

Nine years ago, I went back to the Philippines to be with my family. It was going to be my mom's 60th birthday and we planned a big event for her. She knew of the activities because it was sort of a request from her. We just made sure that everything was in order. 

That day when visitors started arriving as early as four in the afternoon, we were all in a frenzy for we have nothing prepared at that moment. Food were ordered but will be delivered at six so we got some ready meals for the two bus loads that my mom, apparently, invited from the province. I fondly remember calling a party rental place to supply us with more chairs and fifty chairs were delivered to the house. Since we do not have a lift in the building, the man refused to bring them up the stairs so I ended carrying them and it was gruelling. I was panting incessantly with the last three chairs. We had around 150 people in that party while simultaneously, a wedding was happening on the ground floor of the building for 100 people.

Anyway, it was the best party ever. There were plenty of food and entertainment. There were songs rendered by some solo artists, choirs, bands and dancing from pretty ladies to the amusement of the men. There were plenty of songs and my mom's favourite, karaoke singing. She was a belter as she used to sing in clubs and in radio stations during her younger years. 

After that memorable event, we decided to do away with the birthday/Christmas parties we do every year for some personal reasons. And for the last three years, it was just as simple as a small gathering of family members, not even complete, with some food and drinks. It became less and less frivolous but more and more sad. We knew that time was getting shorter. We had been anticipating something, not that we wanted to, but it sure did happen.

Last year, I opted not to go home for personal reasons. I didn't put any tree or ornaments in my house. It was like being a scrooge, not acknowledging the spirit of Christmas. But I was home in January and gave my mom an elephant necklace. She couldn't even put it around her neck. Her health was frail and failing. 

This Christmas, there will be no celebration whatsoever. It will be our first Christmas without her though we will always remember her as a co-celebrant of Jesus as they both celebrate their birthdays on the 25th. May the Lord bless the soul of my mom and may we be granted peace in our household as we start anew with our lives.