By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
Christmas Day has come and gone. I hope that you, dear reader, had a happy day yesterday, whether you celebrated it working or celebrated it quietly or stayed up all night partying. I pray that even in the face of despair, those adversely affected by typhoon Odette have a reason to rejoice as we continue to support them not only in the short-term but in the long term.
Mababaw ang kaligayahan natin, tayong mga Pinoy. (It takes little to make us, Filipinos, happy.) Just being with family makes us happy. One time, my seatmate in the bus was a mother with three little kids travelling to Manila. She only had enough money for one seat so she had to carry two kids (she was big) and squeeze the eldest in between us (good I am slim). I asked why she had to travel a long way with the very young ones and she answered that it is because her father would be happy to see his apos. I thought, though, that it would have been more convenient for the grandfather to travel to the province (and make use of his senior citizen ID). Very young kids are happy at home as long as they have loving caregivers around them.
For many, happiness is food. Observe how sari-sari stores have sprouted all over even in the farthest village and even just pathways. ( I would love to see a barangay with no sari sari store.) We know sari-sari stores sell mostly highly-processed foods, alcohol and cigarettes. In our cities, food establishments occupy the most space. And this Christmas season, all kinds of food are being sold and eaten.
When I was a kid, Christmas was going to mass with my family on December 25, getting pop rice ( I love this!) and candies after the mass and caroling the neighbors with my friends. Those are happy memories. Our children went caroling when they were small. I hope their children will be able to have those happy experiences next year.
For many, too, especially the men, happiness is drink. As mentioned earlier, the sari sari store around the corner sells alcoholic drinks and although people would buy rice on credit, San Miguel would be bought in cash.
The motto for these people is “Drink and be merry.” Alcohol is an “essential” commodity, with or without pandemic.
Christmas is a celebration, although this is a different birthday party because we give more gifts to ourselves than to the celebrant, Jesus. Please remember to give to the survivors of typhoon Odette. What Mountain Province did for the survivors of typhoon Yolanda then was in the rehabilitation phase when donors fade away. As a province, we adopted 2 communities and built and equipped a health station for each of them.
The misa de gallo or simbang gabi was part of Advent in the Christian calendar when we should be tempering our lives including our eating but some congregations, we take these early mornings to start celebrating with food and tea and coffee. And we continue celebrating up to the first week of the new year! Filipinos surely have the longest Christmas season.
And because Christmas season is vacation time in the Philippines, there would be other celebrations, especially now that travel restrictions have eased. With the stay-home mode for the past two years, people now are ready to celebrate. So there’s really no need to spend much on food and drink in your own home, unless you are the celebrant or host.
Just being there with loved ones – family, friends and/or neighbors- is enough reason for us to be happy. Or just being alone with yourself and God. The food and drink are just trimmings. Too much meat, alcohol and sweets may make our taste buds happier now but will drain our pockets and make our spirit and body weak and sick later. Wishing everybody A BLESSED NEW YEAR! ***
“…And now, let the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich, Because of what the Lord has done for us. Give thanks….” (Give Thanks by Don Moen)
