Siftings
Pasko Na! American Style
So this is Christmas in California, US of A. No parol o simbang gabi, o misa de aguinaldo; no media noche, o puto bumbong, o regalo from ninongs or ninangs, or manito/manita. Just plain cold and rain (snow in other places here) and the customary ham and fruit cake and Christmas tree with the outsize stocking hanging near it, and a mistletoe in the vicinity, and of course Good Cheer in place of the physical warmth that every Filipino home exudes on the night of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not quibbling This is the reality of cultural peculiarities.
Several years ago, I had the good fortune to spend Christmas with a Filipino family based in Marceline, Missouri and Kansas City. They were in touch with the Filipino community in Kansas City, and that's where we spent Christmas Eve. It was a baptismal party Pinoy style, with the usual Pinoy fiesta fare: adobo, arroz valenciana, spaghetti, 2 kinds of salads on top of the fruit salad, choices of dessert (leche flan, 4 kinds of cake, pastries galore), wines and softdrinks and punch and juice, and several fresh fruits. Money was aplenty, and so was food. Hospitality overflowed, the rafters rang out with joy, and goodwill kept the guests warm and happy inside the house while outside a minor blizzard raged howled. No firecrackers bursting the eardrums.
By dawn, the weather had cleared and I remember going back to my friend's home in the early morning in time to wash up and catch the late morning mass at the city's cathedral (there was one in that place!). The mass officiated by a white Irish priest was beautiful, with a heartfelt homily. But no carols were sung during the mass. Maybe it was not a custom in that church to sing traditional Christmas carols. I was disappointed but the Gregorian chant soared to the dome of the cathedral with a majesty I have not often witnessed. It was in very solemn misa cantata style, and the angelic voices of the choir made my hair stand on end. At the moment of offering of peace, we all kissed each other and reached out our hands to people in the pews and across the aisle. Afterwards the priest stood by the church entrance and shook the hands of the faithful, wishing us all the customary greetings of the season.
On New Year's Eve, I had gotten used to not hearing or even anticipating to hear a single firecracker burst my eardrums. That was the quietest New Year I have ever spent! Now, I guess I have to experience that all over again. The only place I know here where people can experience noise and firecrackers and wild joy bursting in the air is Times Square in New York. At that time, my friend told me there was a certain park there where firecrackers were allowed but it was a long ride from where we were. Besides, we wanted to be home before midnight to be with our families, Pinoy style. So we opted to stay in my friend's condo right in Kansas City and content ourselves with watching the brightly lit but quiet night sky from the 300th floor. I don't know what kind of New Year I will have this time, right here in California where there's no snow despite the temperature's erratic display of descent in the countdown to Christmas Day.
But here, why do I sound like I am quibbling? Heaven forbid! Am I actually missing Christmas Pinoy style? Of course I am. And with it, the feeling one gets when one gives up trying to be blasé and sophisticated and numb (from the cold), and just own up and say: Okay, I miss all that corny, overdone, overrated Christmas experience, Pinoy style!! And there's no place like home, where you get the following items the minute you sit down in front of your boob tube: Jocjoc Bolante and the fertilizer fund ad nauseam, Manny Pacquiao and his victory ad nauseam, Vicki Belo's break-up with Hayden Kho (so sad but ad hoc!), the TV ratings and awards which are network generated, anyway, ad nauseam, the Metro Manila Film Festival and Vic Sotto's predictably ad nauseam win by his Enteng Kabisote Okay Ka Fairy Ko, and so on, ad infinitum.
But there's no way I can end this except: MALIGAYANG PASKO AT MANIGONG BAGONG TAON!! And here's seeing you next year!