10 Things I LOVE About the Holidays

1. Big family reunions. Get togethers with my cousins, aunties, and uncles from all sides are always fun. I also get to see my other long lost relatives whom I don’t really see if it weren’t for the Christmas parties that we have.

2. My nieces and nephews. I get to see and play with my pamangkins only on special occasions such as this one. I like talking to them a lot. Joshua has never ending questions. (Why are there rocks in the aquarium? Why is the diver’s suit in the aquarium yellow? Why is it not black?) Erin is so aliw (“I’m five years old.” then puts up her four fingers then changes it to five to make sure that I understand her that she’s not four na but five.) Enrico is going to be a heartthrob someday I swear. Tippi, Chloe, and Erika will also be prom queens. They’re all so cute. I so so love them.

3. Receiving lots of gifts. Compared to the previous Christmases, I have received a lot of nicer gifts this year, things that I could actually get to use. Hehe Nothing still beats the iPod nano that my mom gave me though.

4. Giving gifts. I like shopping for presents and giving them away. There are some people who are fun to shop for. It’s like almost every thing you see reminds you of the person and you think, “This will fit (insert person's name here) well. Bagay!” This year I enjoyed shopping in the kids section. It’s fun to shop for baby’s clothes. Lahat nalang cute. Hehe I think I need to have kids of my own. Hahaha Kidding!

5. Dressing up and looking nice. It’s cool to see people bring out their ties, suits, and dresses. Everyone just looks so nice and formal. The holidays give me a reason to be girly where I can wear my dress and be pretty. Hehe

6. Messages from friends. Even a simple Merry Christmas or a Happy New Year greeting from a friend (especially those whom I’ve lost contact with) already means a lot to me. The holidays give us a chance to reconnect with friends and for some, it could also serve as a “reason” to tell someone that we like or care for them.

7. Trips out of the country with the clan. I’ve always look forward to our yearly Christmas trips. Whether it be in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, or China, I really don’t mind. Even if the destination sucks, I’d still go just as long as the tradition is not broken. This year we’re all going to Brunei. Prince Bolkiah, here we come! Haha

8. Festive holiday spirit. Seeing all the houses adorned with bright Christmas lights, hearing Christmas songs play everywhere you go, and seeing Santa Claus in every nook and cranny always gives me this great nostalgic feeling. It always reminds me of the Christmases I had when I was a kid. I think kids enjoy Christmas more than adults do. Oh no, does this mean I'm getting old already? The festive mood never fails to give a positive vibe in everyone’s day.

9. Stress-free long breaks. The holidays give us a brief respite from life’s daily grind. We forget about work, our problems and worries for a minute. We celebrate and enjoy the season with our loved ones…happy :).

10. Indulging. The holidays gives us a reason to indulge whether it be on food or on the latest gadgets or cellphone. We give ourselves a special treat and justify it with a "Christmas naman eh!" then we make bawi nalang after. We work double hard on the treadmill or save up on our next month's pay and next next month's pay. Hehe