So, my loves, what did you do over the holidays?
As for me, the last few days were just filled with love and joy. This Christmas is extra special for Abet and me because it’s our first Christmas as a married couple, which means we have three families to spend the holidays with: his family, my family, and our own little family of two.
Last December 23, my family visited Abet and me the first time. I was so happy to have them all there, to have them see our home and meet our dogs (Phoebe comes with us whenever we spend weekends at my parents’).
Ooops, my dad is watafez in this photo. Sorry Papi, it’s the only one I have.We missed my brother Momon, who’s spending the holidays in the US with his in-laws. The curtains don’t match our home, I know. Those are my mother-in-law’s, we haven’t bought our own yet.
Moving on, Christmas Eve was spent at my in-laws’ house (which is just a minute away from our home, and that’s by foot). My brother-in-law Obet made us all wear red so he can take family portraits.
The only red piece of clothing I owned was a pambahay shirt, that had to do.
Christmas Day was at my parents’ house. This year’s celebration was very austere compared to what we’re used to, partly because Momon isn’t here to celebrate with us, and partly because now is not the time for grand celebrations, not after what happened to our beloved Cagayan de Oro which we used to call home. My parents donated to Sendong, therefore, just a simple Christmas celebration this year.
We had pansit and roasted chicken for Christmas lunch, but those weren’t your ordinary chickens. My dad and my brothers bought three native chickens a couple of days before, and those were slaughtered, stuffed silly with lemongrass, and roasted for our holiday meal.
You should have seen our backyard sink, it was gruesome. Thank you Aringkingking, Nokma, and Macmashaw for sacrificing your lives in order for us to have a feast. Yes, they had names. Burp.
Anyway, since Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were spent with our families, Abet and I started our own tradition. We will have our Christmas celebration, just the two of us in our home, the day after Christmas. December 26 will be Mr. & Mrs. Mesa’s Christmas Celebration Day. December 26 is when we’ll have a nice homemade candlelit dinner and that’s when we’ll open the presents under our tree.
For dinner, we made pesto spaghetti (using store-bought pesto) and we made fried chicken for the first time. Abet bought white wine. For dessert, we had fresh fruits dipped in melted Toblerone. Abet brewed a pot of Starbucks Christmas Blend coffee (now only P87.50 at 30% off, good for 8 cups!!!) to enjoy while we opened our presents. It was such a fun, memorable evening, I’m so glad we started this little tradition, and I can’t wait for next year (the food should be much better then).
I ate so much in the last week and will continue to eat a lot until next week, I’ll need to go back to Bikram when 2012 comes in (but not until I get a new yoga mat since I can’t find my current one). I have a lot of exercise to do to make up for all the food I’m stuffing my face with. I’ll worry about that in a few days, but in the meantime, I’m enjoying the time–and the food–with the people I love the most.
I hope you all had good Christmases spent with family, everyone! Stay safe this New Year!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
I love my momma’s cooking too much.
