5 Pinoys tell how they are preparing for Christmas Eve away from their families
There’s no stopping Christmas for Filipinos who love the season which they celebrate from September to January each year.
Amid the pandemic, they are keeping the tradition of being with family alive with simple gestures through a virtual get-together, a simple dinner, or sending home food for noche buena and gifts for the children.
Their gestures say that during these unprecedented times, not being together physically is actually the best way people can show that they truly love one another and are concerned for each other's health and safety.
Manila Bulletin asked five Filipinos how they are planning for their Christmas Eve dinners and the answers were all the same - they would rather stay apart than risk contracting the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
But in keeping with tradition, many Filipinos are making the effort to observe the celebration of Christ's birth.
No choir performance
Baker and choir boy Reynard Ong, 34, said he usually gets excited every Christmas decorating his home with lights, wreaths, and trees, and filling every room with scents of cinnamon and pine and the sound of festive melodies. But this year, he decided to face the reality of the pandemic and how it has negatively affected people's lives.
He admitted that the pandemic has taken a toll on his mental health, and his world view has changed significantly because of the suffering caused by the health crisis.
"I am uniting my confusion, uncertainty, and anxiety with that of Mary and Joseph that Christmas night," he reflected. "Without any decent room, they embraced their reality and their truth and made themselves comfortable in a damp, fetid stable. They focused rather on what is essential, what truly mattered— each other."
Ong, who continues to visit a church to offer his help when it is needed, said he is still debating whether or not to attend services on Christmas day, or watch it online.
"Our choir master has already declined the invitation for us to serve during Christmas, which means no singing for us this year," he said. His choir group usually sings in a church every Christmas.
While he would definitely miss his choir group and the joyous act of singing in celebration of Christ's birth, Ong said that he looks forward to a nice, quiet dinner at home.
"In hindsight, Christmas in the new normal isn't so unique at all. I remember as a kid spending time with loved ones at home - not abroad, not in malls, not in hotels or beaches. We spend the holidays at home sharing a meal together on Christmas Eve with friends and family," he recalled.
"I guess what COVID did was not cancel Christmas, but transport us back to the Christmases of our youth where the spirit is more warm and alive," Ong said.
Care packages and hand-made gifts
Jee-Ann Guro Espadilla, 24, is working as a caregiver for the elderly in Metro Manila. Every year on the 18th of December, she would travel back to her province in Tigbao, Zamboanga del Sur so she can spend the holidays with her family.
But that yearly tradition was broken because of the pandemic. To make up for her absence, she sent care packages to her family back home. She also made sure to buy her son the toy car he wanted.
Espadilla also sent money to her husband so they could prepare food for noche buena, which would include macaroni salad, spaghetti, biko, and buko salad. "Malungkot ako kasi malayo ako sa pamilya ko, pero tinitiis ko (I feel sad because I am far away from my family, but I am enduring it)," she said.
Espadilla is the breadwinner of her family, and she is grateful to have work at this time when so many others are struggling to make ends meet. She said she is not planning to go home anytime soon because she is fearful of getting the virus while in transit.
"Masaya din naman ako dahil walang COVID-19 ang buong pamilya ko (I am happy because my whole family doesn't have COVID-19)," she said. "Sana matapos na ang pandemic para makauwi na ako, kahit bakasyon lang (I hope the pandemic will end soon so I can go home, even just for a vacation)."
Lea Cagula, 33, is another caregiver who would be spending Christmas without her family, although she is hoping that her employer would allow her to make a short visit to her husband and daughter.
She recalled previous Christmases, when her family would enjoy carefree trips to the malls and parks. They would also have noche buena, comprised of the staples - fruit salad, spaghetti, and ihaw-ihaw.
But this year, there would be no more outings with her family. Cagula has also been particularly thrifty with her Christmas gifts this year. Since she's spending most of her time indoors, she has developed a newfound passion for sewing clothes, accessories, bedsheets, and pillow cases.
"Naghahanap ako ng design sa Pinterest tapos ginagaya ko (I look for designs on Pinterest and I copy it)," she shared. Cagula particularly loves sewing clothes for her two-year-old daughter, who enjoys modeling her creations.
Staying put
Maisie Perez (not her real name), an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who works as a Project Analyst in Singapore, usually travels back to the Philippines so she can spend Christmas and New Year with family.
But travel is still not feasible for her family, since she is wary about letting her toddler get on a plane while the pandemic is in full swing.
"We usually celebrate Christmas in the Philippines but since we can't travel anymore and social gatherings are limited to five persons only here in Singapore, we will just prepare a simple dinner at home," she said.
Perez is still counting her blessings, since the pandemic has brought her closer to her husband and daughter. The three of them even became more religious.
"This pandemic has actually brought us closer to Jesus and taught us to appreciate, love, and be kind to one another - which is essentially the spirit of Christmas," said Perez.
Just thankful to be alive
For Jessica Reyes (not her real name), Christmas is going to be a whole lot different this year. When December first rolled about, each one of her family members started getting symptoms and testing positive for COVID-19.
Her husband had difficulty breathing, so much so that he was rushed to the hospital. She lost her sense of taste, while her daughter developed a fever. Reyes' in-laws also developed fever and dry coughs, and had loose bowels. Thankfully, their harrowing ordeal is over and they have all gotten better.
Reyes and her husband both have big families, so their yearly noche buena feasts are always something to look forward to. But given the delicate health of their family members - so soon after first testing positive for COVID-19 - they opted this year to have a simple, quiet dinner at home.
"Natatakot kasi kami kasi may seniors na sa family. Pero may techonology naman. At least kumpleto ang family. Healthy lahat, so okay lang. Bawi nalang next year pag tapos na ang COVID (We are afraid because there are seniors in the family. But we can rely on technology. At least the family is complete. Everybody is healthy, so it is okay. We will make up for it next year when COVID is done)," she said.
When asked how she feels about this Christmas, Reyes confessed that she is feeling a bit down given everything that has happened to her family. However, she is choosing to look at the glass half full and is thanking God they are all still alive and kicking.
"Sa Filipinos kasi, lahat ng mga nangyayari sa buhay nila, kahit mahirap parang nakakangiti pa eh. Masayahin ang mga Filipino. Mahirap ang dinadaanan pero kinakaya. And si Jesus naman ang main reason pag Christmas season diba? (With Filipinos, everything that has happened in their lives, even though it's hard, they still manage to smile. Filipinos are a happy bunch. As hard as their ordeal might be, they endure. And isn't Jesus the main reason for Christmas celebrations?)" she said.