The Carolers

The Carolers

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It was Saturday, the 13th. I arrived, with my husband, at my cousin's place half an hour early. In fact, we were there an hour and a half early. The carolers I was told were to be there at 3:00 PM; they, however, called to let the hosts know that they will be there at 4:00 PM. To pass the time away, I helped my cousin's wife set up the buffet. She works full time as a nurse, and did not have the time to prepare all the food. To make it easy for her she ordered most of them, and they were all in styro containers. I put them in platters, bowls and trays. We shoved some in the oven to keep them warm while we waited for the group to arrive.

A little past 4:00 PM they came in droves. Some were lost on the way to her house and they were really late. We had dinner before the group began their caroling concert. As usual we had lumpia, pansit, steamed shrimps (which the hostess cooked), roast beef (cooked by her niece), puto, fruit salad, cake (2 kinds), ham, and more. It was a feast. When every one had their fill, the performers lined up in the living room and sang their songs. They had a short skit before their last song. It was a good performance by all of the members - young and old alike.

There was one song that almost brought me to tears. I tried so hard to hold back my tears. "Silent Night" tugged at my heart; it brought me back home, back to the old country where Christmas was always felt wherever we were.

I remember the celebration of this Holiday back there...back in the Philippines. Preparations were made way ahead of time, some do it months ahead. Those, of course, are the people who are well prepared, well organized. Unlike me, I am a procrastinator, and I always do my Christmas shopping at the 11th hour. So I brave the crowd at the department stores; the traffic jams; the pickpockets; the din and cacophony of the big city. Better be prepared even at the last minute, otherwise, the nieces, nephews, and godchildren will be disappointed.

The day comes, right after the masses, they come in droves. The godchildren dressed in their Sunday's best to pay a visit to their godmothers and godfathers expecting a present from each of them. At that point the streets would be filled with these children, coming and going. It would be like a fiesta.

Then at the end of the day, all the wrapped presents have all been handed out and that's when I flop on a chair and say, "Whew, thank God it's all over."

Not really. It would not be over until after having Christmas dinner with all the members of my family: my mom, my brother, his brood of six children and his lovely wife. That's Christmas back home, and I missed that and I missed all of them...my family.