Last Friday, Tina, Gabby and I heard mass with my brother, JC at Christ the King Church in E.Rodriguez Avenue in Quezon City. Then in time for lunch, we met up with my other brother, who’s a private pilot, with his family at our paternal grandmother’s place in Calumpang, Marikina City. It has been a tradition in our family, perhaps like yours, to visit relatives whenever possible or, at least every Christmas.
Who would have thought that this old ancestral home was never spared by typhoon Ondoy’s wrath? The flood in that living room was chest-deep last September; the mud was unbearable. Luckily, it’s a 2-storey house that saved the lives of our Lola and our relatives during those times.
Like my aunt’s place in Pasig City and many others affected by that unforgettable natural disaster that hit Manila and most of Luzon, my Lola Tentay’s house, which was built of love of 12 children, 30+ apos and ‘apo sa tuhod’ was also made ready for the holidays despite what it went through.
We’re glad to see Lola Tentay, who can still finish a plate of rice and viand for lunch and to find her having a good appetite for a hamburger bun for snack was really awesome! Although she’s now forgetful like other geriatrics, she can manage to smile and perhaps recall our names when we remind her.
Tina took her pulse and BP and turned out fine for her age. Our entire clan here and across the globe are still happy to have her. Most of them from LA, and New Jersey in the US and Melbourne in Australia will come home next month as we celebrate our Lola’s 90th birthday. 
Look how her great-great grandchildren smiled for the cam upon seeing her on Christmas. They’re not even a quarter of the total number of all her ‘apo sa tuhod’!
Those are my niece KC, nephew Joshua and our son, Gabby.
How did you spend your Christmas day this year?
Did you visit any of your relatives too ?
Aren’t you proud that we Pinoys keep our families in close-knit ?
oo nga, sa pinoy talaga, super close ang families. ang saya ng pasko dito sa bahay! ang daming bagets! nagsiuwian kasi mga pamangkins ko (anak ng mga pinsan) kaya ang saya saya!
i’m glad to know that you had fun too with your relatives and the kids, dyanie!
pinoys, like the chinese have close family ties. the close knit ties with families are good – the old generation learn something new from the younger generation while the younger generation learn time honored values from the old generation. Masaya talaga pag sama sama.
Christmas was spent at my parents’ house.
Sadly, I couldn’t be with family this year but I did spend Christmas with my closest friends for a bit of party.