My Childhood Christmas

My childhood Christmas memories are very much associated with my mama. Born and bred by a half Spanish mestiza mother and a dark-skinned Filipino father, (the author of the Philippine Readers used in Grade school all over the country ); mama turned out very fair and delicate. Oh, she was so beautiful and smelled sweet all the time. She plays the piano and had a nice voice. It was just logical that when my papa brought her home to our hometown, she immediately latched herself to religious activities, the Legion of Mary, the mother butler and played the organ for the church choir.

Our family Christmas is a catholic celebration revolving around church festivities. Celebration starts with the Misa De Gallo (dawn masses) on the 16th. Though we had a Buick, we walk with the town folks to church, it is always dark and cold; no street lights in the province, but it was okay, My papa has a big flashlight, same with the other dads.

We never missed a day since no one would play the organ but my mama. I sang with the choir having memorized the hymns in Latin except my favorite which is sang in Spanish during offertory, the "Pastores a Belen "

However, the good part is buying bibingka ( rice cake, baked in a clay bowl heated below and on top ). I used to slip out ahead before the last blessing to beat the other buyers because there's always a long queue. Some days I'd bring an egg and some cheese to add to the rice dough making the bibingka more yummy.

When we get home, it is still dark. I go back to sleep, under the family mosquito net while my mama would address Christmas cards. I recall, it was a lot, she must have sent everyone in town plus the relatives in Manila and in America.

To me our Christmas feast is the best! My papa and mama would invite friends who went to midnight mass. They would dance tango all night; that's when I developed my fascination for the tempo. My mama served turkey and roast beef; at least two salads, cakes, ( my mama baked a lot and at the time, if you bake you are elite, no food channels then). I remember gallons of magnolia tin cans of roasted chestnuts, grapes, apples and oranges as well, but the highlight is torrones and muscatel served after dinner, both imported from Spain. See, even at home, we had bread and wine.

The season does not end after Christmas and the new year for Catholics observe the feast of the Three Kings. My brothers and i would hang back our socks, not stockings and we get money in the morning. How I truly believed Santa Claus and the Three Kings back then. One morning on the feast day I woke up early, look out the window and saw three men walking down the street below. I thought I just missed them a few minutes after they filled our socks.

Oh, what I'll give to live that Christmas again!