A Different Christmas
Our Christmas celebrations are always different. We are now a larger patchwork quilt than we were before. This year we began way before Dec. 25. Early in the month we had our first Christmas dinner with my daughter Panjee and her son Andres. She was leaving for the US where she would meet up with her children — Andres from here and Sancho from New York where he goes to college — to be with them through the holidays.
To two of my children San Francisco is a second home. For me it was just a place where I went after the Aquino assassination when the economy was tilting. I worked as a secretary there because I had no American Experience. Those years opened my eyes to an important realization: in the United States, I had a job. In the Philippines, I had a career. It was a career that I could pick up even after four years spent doing secretarial work, learning how to master copiers and fax machines. I came back and became vice president again. It was definitely a better deal to work here at my home.
My youngest daughter and my mother stayed behind. But after a year my whole family returned to the Philippines, to make their lives here. We were all together again. That was many years ago. My daughters were in their 20s then. Now they’re all in their 50s. Their children are in their 20s. My youngest grandson, Andres, is 16 and obsessed with basketball. That’s our baby.
So Panjee took off for the States. By the time she left I had discovered a way of making what I call charm necklaces. I found charms that said GRATITUDE, LOVE, SERENITY, LIFE IS A GIFT, BELIEVE, DREAM BIG, stuff like that. I also found tassels that became my necklaces’ starting point. Then I had all my beads and fillers so I could make necklaces that were suited to each daughter’s personality. There were many of them. I have three daughters, one daughter-in-law, two granddaughters, and two grandsons’ best friends. That makes eight charm necklaces for my part of the family. I don’t know how to make jewelry for men so my trick is to make necklaces for their girlfriends. On Loy’s side he has eight children, six granddaughters, so 21 pieces that I had to make or a total of 29, let’s make that 30 necklaces and bracelets made with my own two hands.
Last Sunday, Dec. 23, Loy and I picked up my grandson Nicc and we went to have Christmas lunch, my family’s definition of Noche Buena, at my son Gino’s house. Traditionally my family would spend Christmas Eve with their fathers and then we lunched together on Christmas Day. But this year, two of my daughters were in the US, another in England, and my grandson Pow and his friend Ding were boarding the plane for San Francisco on Christmas Day. So Dec. 23 became Christmas for us.
Loy and I got dressed in our denims. I found a long denim dress in my closet that I know I didn’t own but it was there hanging in a plastic bag. I assumed it belonged to my mother so I wore it. Loy put on his T-shirt and a neat denim coat that we bought together. We have many denim outfits we like to wear together. When he saw us, my oldest grandson Pow said, “I like the way you two dress, Nannie.”
On Monday night, Dec. 24, we had Noche Buena at the home of Marrielle, Loy’s eldest daughter. Almost everyone was there. His youngest son and family weren’t because his wife’s mother came in from the States and was staying with them. Loy’s third child, second daughter, her husband and children were not there either because they had decided to spend Christmas in Canada. Nevertheless it was a full house, including the in-laws of Loy’s oldest son, and his niece. I don’t know exactly how many we were but there were many of us talking and laughing together. We had lots of good wine and good food. It was also a wonderful Noche Buena with more singing and dancing from the little girls. On Christmas Day itself we were all half-asleep.
You must be wondering — what’s wrong with these people? Why don’t they put their families together? Loy and I don’t have room in our condo for so big a crowd. Before we married his children could crowd in because his two-bedroom unit had his bedroom and a second guest room. Since we married that second bedroom turned into my workroom. That’s where I made the 30 necklaces! Also, just to get everyone’s schedule worked out is a major job. We dream of it, of course. One day we will have a place big enough for all our children and grandchildren to meet, drink and dine together and make friends. One day that will happen. I am sure of it. I just don’t know when.
May you all have a Fabulous, Prosperous 2019!
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