Merry Christmas

It is officially the 24th of December.

As I write this blog, I can only imagine the hustle and bustle of the going ons in Manila. Gifts already wrapped and ready to be placed under the big tree in Magallanes (where my uncle resides and where everybody gathers for Christmas eve). Children running around. Food getting prepared. Everybody donning on their best slippers on (my father side of the family rarely dress up for occasions, the more comfortable you can be, the better!). I can see clearly how Achi Pean tries to gather everybody, to have them seated and get their food. I can see Achi Girlie trying to catch up with the kids when they try to get the presents and open them way to early. I can also see Pao-pao in his small chair having his dinner, or Philippe running up and down the stairs and Ally trying to catch up. While the older ones are seated by the dinning room or the living room talking business or people from work (their own version of gossip). Speaking of gossips, yes families gossip. Mine included. Even if its only Di-ko who's the last remaining sister in the Philippines, the brother do gossip.

On the other side of the globe, here in cold wet New York. It's the quiet before the storm. Jen will just have gotten back from work. Everybody else has fallen fast asleep. And me, here, reading through blog entries and writing one. New York will pretty be much the same. By noon tomorrow, Jen will be busy in the kitchen with Horacio cooking. I'd be trying to help out by setting up the table and doing last minute groceries. Friends and relatives will be dropping by late in the afternoon for Christmas eve dinner. Gifts will be exchanged. And for some, midnight mass to attend. All the hustle without kids running around and a big Christmas tree. My apartment is just too small to handle a tree plus people coming over for dinner.

Two cities apart by hours. Two cities celebrating what Christmas is all about, FAMILY.

Merry Christmas to all.