Seven Days of White Christmas

 

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
Where the treetops glisten,
 and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow 

 During Christmas since my childhood, i’d always hear nanay singing the song “White Christmas” and since then, i started to like the song (no choice, haha) and even used to sing the same during Christmas programs in my elementary days. I never thought nor dreamed to experience a white Christmas because for me it’s impossible.  surprisingly, it was last year that i had my first white Christmas.  

it was on December 24 of last year, taking the 10pm flight, I left for San Francisco. with me was my best friend don, we were set to spend Christmas with other best friends rchie and his wife janice, who are presently living in the US. the airport was so quiet then, the flight was not full, I was quite sad yet excited.    

But before I left for the airport at 7pm, I spent dinner with my mom, my other siblings, nephews and nieces, though still early, we had our “noche buena”, nanay was emotional then, t’was my first time to spend Christmas afar, but in my heart I knew that she’s kinda happy for me because her dream of having a white Christmas would now be a reality, not to her though, but to me 🙂  

To cut this long story, I have here my seven days of white Christmas –- what I have received (unexpectedly) – presents, surprises, treats, wishes; places where I’ve been — and more.  really it was a meaningful Christmas. 

on the first day of white Christmas — @ noche Buena, a honey glazed huge turkey ham for me.  sa pilipinas, pang mayaman lang ang turkey, shocked ang batangmangyan haha.  aside from this, we had fun games after noche buena, got 29 bucks from the scavenger hunt, a billabong shirt from rchie & janice, 50 bucks from janice’s mom, and more gifts from janice’s family and friends– ang saya ng Pasko unang araw pa lang.  and in the morning of Dec. 25, @ 11am, we attended the mass.  Happy birthday Jesus! 

on the second day of white Christmas — what a real Christmas Tree.  I didn’t  notice that it’s a real tree until the second day, i came across the Christmas Tree at the living room and smelled a real tree.  Putek, totoong puno.  Hahays, I learned that the trees are grown for one year and sold during Christmas.  Astig!  A six-foot tree costs 150 bucks.

how about a stroll at a Filipino neighborhood, houses full of Christmas lights – para lang nasa policarpio street in mandaluyong.  weather is too cold.  ang sarap ng kwentuhan at bidahan.  

on the third day of  white Christmas —  got a new watch…i love my tag. haha. while having a leisure walk around downtown San Francisco, saw a watch store and decided to get a new one, a white Christmas gift for myself. 

on the fourth day of white Christmas —  Let it snow today!  a Christmas treat to RENO-Nevada courtesy of rchie and janice.  @ dawn of the 4^th day of Christmas, we left for RENO and along the road, we passed by these mountains fully covered with snow.  hahays, real snow.  was so happy then.  my photos could tell how happy I was.  Really a white Christmas! 

 

on the fifth day of white Christmas — got a new shades…i love my oakley.  Every time I’d go to a new place, I’d make it sure to get or buy something. and since RENO is a new place to me then, i’ve had to get a second Christmas gift for myself, hahaha. 

on the sixth day of white Christmas —- a three-night stay at Peppermill, a casino hotel in RENO, still a part of the Christmas treat courtesy of rchie and janice.  Sarap ng may best friends sa US. Libre!  Since we’re in a casino hotel, I played the slot machines and even tried to play a 3-card poker. It was fun.  I won a 100 bucks. Yahoo! 

on the seventh day of white Christmas  —  Let it snow again! On our way back home, we stopped again at a different snow park.  it was a fine day, snow was so fresh and white, snowfall had just stopped.   It was fun playing on the snow. it was hard to believe that really i was enjoying a white Christmas. 

indeed, i had a fun and meaningful Christmas last year!  Yet, the most important thing to remember when we are thinking about Christmas is that, it’s not just about presents/gifts, or Santa Claus or singing carols.  It’s not just about the place where to celebrate nor just the people to be with. Wherever we may be at, whoever we may be with, the most important thing to instill in our heart and mind is the true meaning of Christmas —–  a celebration of the incredible act of  LOVE HE has given us. 

A blessed and meaningful Christmas to everyone mula sa puso ng BatangMangyan!