Kay bilis talaga ng panahon... akalain mo't tapos na ang pasko? Parang kailan lang... binibilang ko ang araw kung ilan nalang ang natitira bago mag December 25. Tapos ngayon... tapos na siya.

Just like what I've posted in my christmas '07 album, we've never celebrated Christmas in Manila. We've always spent it with our dear ones in Mariveles, Bataan--our relatives on our father's side. It was quite memorable... but in a queer way, rather. Why, you asked? Well...

1. December 22 - We were still in Abucay, mother's side. I spent most of the day doing an avp project for my "wedding client", Ms. Jacky, my officemate.

2. December 23 - We went to Tarlac to bring my mom's sister and her family there. They had their Christmas break there together with their relatives on their father's side, since we would be staying in Mariveles during those dates. We got back in Bataan at around 5pm and went straight to Mariveles, arriving there at around 6pm

3. December 24 - Ever since, were were used to have everything prepared by 24th. Our moms would go to the market to buy this and that for the simple noche buena. Then by afternoon, the preparation will start. Before midnight, we will have our simple noche buena together.

However... it didn't happen the way everyone expected. On the 24th, we had to bring our cousin Reb (age 12) to the doctor. Nakagat kasi siya ng puppy 2 days ago! Hindi naman super lalim, pero nagkasugat siya. Hindi niya sinabi agad. Worse... namatay ang puppy. And we all know that that is so scary kasi yun yung sign na may rabis yung dog. So my parents and his mom brought him to the doctor, 6 towns away. The doctor gave him the initial anti-tetanus shot. Since the puppy died without showing any signs of "pagka-ulol", the doc opted to check if the dog really died of rabis or of sickness. (Since before the incident, the puppy was sick na pala dahil sa nakain or something..). So, the doc instructed them to dig up the dead puppy again for lab examination.

Since we were the ones left at home, me, my cousin Ian, and my lola, excavated the poor dead puppy. His name was Max. Haha! Feeling ko CSI ako! Binalot namin siya ng sangkatutak na yelo para mapreserve, especially yung brain area. Buti nalang hindi pa siya nabubulok. Since nung early morning lang naman siya namatay. My lola burried him at around 6am. Good thing, nakalimutan niya na dadaan ang basura that day. Kung naalala daw niya, malamang, ipinatapon na niya ang puppy sa mga basurero... yikes!

So, that was it. They got back in the afternoon na. And all the planned preparations for the dinner had to be postponed.

Well, it doesn't matter now. Thank God, the results were negative. The puppy didn't die because of rabis. He really died because he was sick... poor doggie. And anyway, kahit hindi kami nakapag-noche buena noong gabi ng 24, at least, I experienced to prepare the ref cake all by myself! It was so fun! And, by 25th, the rest of our relatives came. And all the eating gallore was done on the 25th.

4. By 26, before we go back to Manila, my mom had this fun yet meaningful "gimmick". Papaexperience daw niya sa mga boys (my younger cousins, 6 boys sila, ranging from 11 to 16) how to have a fun and safe "social drinking" with Welch! Yumyum!!! I loooove Welch... kaya kung nakita niyo dun sa christmas album ko, meron dun picture nag umiinom kami ng Welch. My mom just shared to my cousins, and to their parents as well, some words of wisdom when it comes to drinking, bonding with friends, crushes, and all that. She opened their minds regarding peer pressure, the effects of alcohol, and all those things. It was fun! My cousins were intently listening to her. And it was really a treasure of wisdom she left to all of us. Kasi, nasa teenage stage na yung mga dati kong cute na cute na mga cousins. Dati cute sila, ngayon barako na. Kaya habang maaga palang, inorient na sila ni mama kung ano ang nag-aabang sa kanila sa mundo...

In the end, it seemed that my cousins have understood and have absorbed the wisdom my mom shared to us. We just pray it will stick to them and they will stick to it for the rest of their lives.

So, that was how our Christmas went. Stay put for my next post on New Year Celebration at Abucay, Bataan!