Today, the Feast of the Epiphany marks the end of the Christmas season, and what a Christmas it was !

     The week before Christmas, David and I volunteered to help decorate the church. We helped put up the Nativity scene (Belen) beside the altar. I brought my "Filipino broom" to sweep the church floor because I am not comfortable using the "American broom". David made a special trip back to the church to hang the wreath at the church entrance above the door. It was a beautiful way to prepare for Christmas. 

     On Christmas eve, we drove to my sister in law Leslie's house at Yellow Springs for Christmas dinner.  Leslie asked me to make empanada and she told David that there would be eleven of us for dinner. She also said that the festivities would start at 4 pm and dinner would be served at 6 pm. I wrapped our gifts a few days before that and put them under the tree. I think I must have wrapped about 11 gifts (excluding David's which I hid inside the entertainment cabinet). We also got a few gift cards to go with the gifts.

     I am still getting used to the way Christmas is celebrated here. 

     Back home, we could not tell how many people would be coming for Christmas so we prepare for a lot of people which includes the clan, the helpers, some neighbors, former workers and helpers who would drop by for a meal and a gift or two. We would prepare boxes of gifts not only for family members but also for people who might drop by for Christmas (nothing fancy, face towels, soap, t-shirts, some canned goods, toys, and calendars). Food would be on laid out on my grandmother's marble table and everyone would get a plate and look for a place to sit. I would make my nephews and nieces present a Christmas number. There would be about over 50 people!

  (Christmas in Cebu)

     Gift giving is like a "roll call" drill with people taking turns calling each family member to give their gift. l It would be a noisy affair all over the family compound. Christmas eve would be equally noisy as each household in the compound prepare their noche buena (midnight meal).

     Christmas eve at Yellow Springs would be more subdued (except in the kitchen) probably because there were no noisy children and teen agers. There were 3 dogs and lots of cats but only the dogs were permitted to make an appearance. David's family has a tradition of making a "Naughty and Nice List". I made it to the Nice List, David was in the Naughty List.  Tatay (my father in law) makes the list and David said I will never be in the naughty list because I am known to be Tatay's favorite .

   (Christmas at Yellow Springs)

     There was plenty of conversation and food and because it was cold, we stayed indoors. The table was elegantly prepared with place mats, matching plates and glasses, napkin holders  and coasters. Food was laid out on a lovely buffet with lighted candles. Dinner was a "sit down" affair. After dinner, there was dessert and more conversation while others attended Church services accross the street (David and I attended Mass on Christmas day).

     After Church services, we started the opening of presents. I was most surprised when I learned that they give more than one present per person over here. Back home, the allocation was one gift per person per giver, hahaha. 

     Leslie (and Joe) gave me a book, a bird bath, glass fruits,  and a  kitchen towel. Hope Ann (and Steve) gave me a lovely bird house, a coin purse, a cel phone case, and an eye glass case (thank you very much!) Thank you too  to Tatay, Zack, Tara (and Allen) and Mrs. Cook for the lovely presents.

     By eleven thirty, we were ready for the one house drive home.  The drive was quite and the only sign that it was Christmas eve were the lights outside the houses. In the Philippines, there would have been people outside their homes or people walking in the streets on their way home from midnight Mass and thre would be fireworks.

    On Christmas day, David and I attended Mass. David's aunt Peg asked us to bring the offering (host and wine) to the altar during the Mass. We had been asked to bring the offering before but we respectfully declined because we were not official members of the parish. We were not sure if that was "allowed". Aunt Peg asked the priest if it was alright, and the priest gave his permission. It was a great blessing and honor for us to do it on a very special day.

(My crystal lotus)

     After Mass, David and I opened our gifts. I was most touched when I opened David's gifts because he knew I wanted the lotus cystal but was hesitant to buy it because it was expensive. He made a special trip to the store and bought it without my knowing. Thank you very much David, you are the best! He also got some art materials for me because he knows that I am always making a "project". In his words, "You are always up to something". 

(Michelle, Jed, John and Eleanor, having dessert. Fortunately the temperature allowed us to use the sun room with the furnace on)

    We had Christmas dinner at our friends', Michelle and Jed's, house. After the meal, the group (Michelle, Jed and Michelle's parents John and Eleanor) came to our house for dessert. (Thank you Michelle and Jed for the gifts and generous donation for the Children's mission). Eleanor and John had a basket of gifts for us too (thank you!).

     Thank you too for all the cards, phone calls and emails from family and friends (in no particular order):

My mother, nephews and nieces specially my niece Niki  who emailed me all the pictures of the party back home

Fr. Connon (Cebu)

Daisy (Cebu)

Maritoni (Surigao)

Arlene (Cebu)

JM (Davao)

Nene (Davao)

Corazon (Cebu)

Mangel (Cebu)

Anette (Cebu)

Miko and Jinggay (Manila)

Paula and Gunther (Germany)

Eleanor and Geoff (England)

Fr. Hans (Japan)

Sr. Katharina (Japan)

Susie and Gerry (Hong Kong)

Nang Ruby (Holland)

Niesje and Cor (Holland)

Ligaya (The Jaminskas - Poland)

Dauphine (The Stiles -Texas))

Rhebs and Tony (Florida)

Kim and Loren (Michigan)

Tess and Larry (New York)

Roy and Etta (Texas)

Mel (The Donoghues)

Darl and Joe (Texas)

Delia and Allan (Ohio)

Jine (Las VEgas)

Nene and Ted (California)

Honeylet and Dan (Texas)

Aunt Peg and Bob (Ohio)

Lawrence and Connie (Ohio)

Sandy and Lorin (Oregon)

Lanie (The Pfeiffers -Michigan)

Kathy Nadeau (California(

     You are the blessings of Christmas.