When Mama was still alive, our traditional Christmas noche buena spread would include: her stellar slow-cooked mechado or caldereta, whole chicken cooked in our ancient turbo broiler, ham basted for hours with pineapple juice, pancit or spaghetti or both, and hot chocolate. For dessert, we would have macaroni salad and several llaneras of leche flan. We might also have a cake, or a bilao of kakanin.

As part of adulting in a household presided by a teacher, my sister and I would be helping in the cooking and practically taking over the cooking chores. My sister could quickly cook pancit canton (not the instant kind), or a spaghetti. I might do the turbo chicken and the ham, and would always prepare the hot chocolate.

In the lead up to noche buena, Mama would have redecorated the entire house starting September to October, and have it nearly complete by November (with brief pause for Undas). She was obviously preparing for Christmas when she passed in October 2022. She had started putting up her decorations. We saw that she had brought out her green and red table covers, linen, place mats, and other decors. They were in a box, ready to be installed.

At the foot of the Christmas tree, there would be a lot of gifts. When our nephews and nieces were still kids and pre-adult, the family would be complete and the kids were excited to receive their gifts. One of them (Diego) would sleep early, only to be woken up at midnight for noche buena and gift-giving. Mara would have known about all the gifts. She would be with her lola buying and wrapping them.

When the family moved to a sleepy village in the province, it became difficult to go to the Christmas Eve mass. The last times we went as a family, I believe we were still living in Sampaloc. The church was a mere block away at Calamba. (By the way, that church of Perpetuo Socorro looks totally different now. It has been completely rebuilt, and no longer looks like the church we got baptized in or grew up with.)

Speaking of Sampaloc, Mama’s family grew up there since the 1950’s or 1960’s. Mama Des, our matriarch, held court at one end of Sisa together with uncles and aunts who had to stay single for a future as “petitioned” immigrants. This means we had lots of gifts, as many as we have a lola, and several titos and titas. We would have noche buena at home, but we would be at Mama Des’ house by the following morning to get our aguinaldo. A tito (Larry) lived downstairs with his family, with another tita (Ligaya) lives in a second floor unit right across Mama Des’ place.

We were actually “laki sa lola” since our parents both worked in the daytime. We practically stayed in Mama Des’ house. Because we were so rowdy and in order for her to clean the house, she would “detain” me and Ryan in the huge window grills that doubled as “sampayan,” and which had capiz enclosures as well. We would be out back in the sala in no time, watching black-and-white TV that sometimes had to have a fork as an antenna.

Together with Kuya Ali, Anne and myself are the eldest among our cousins. Christmas time was always fun, as we received our aguinaldos of gifts and cash.

The fun pauses for a few days and resumes on New Year’s Eve. One of our uncles (Lenny) would usually buy boxes of firecrackers (the louder, the better) and fireworks (trompillo, fountains, and lucis). I don’t remember anyone getting hurt from fireworks and firecrakers at Sisa street. Then, media noche at midnight as we cross over to the new year, with plenty of jumping and making noise.

In those days, ₱500 would have meant a lot, like a week’s or two weeks’ worth groceries, if I remember it right. Anne and myself would be with Mama going to Uniwide, armed only with a purchase order. I remember ₱500 as a really huge amount. A ₱50 pamasko was good and ₱100 was great. Today, we are told ₱500 should be more than enough for a noche buena.

The kids of the past are grandparents, parents, godparents, uncles and aunties now. May the fond memories of our own past Christmas celebrations cheer us on, and inspire us to give the best possible Christmas and New Years to kids and grandkids today.

Maligayang Pasko sa lahat!