Where has everybody gone?

My housemates left yesterday on their way to a vacation in the Philippines for 3 weeks...nakakainggit!

I told myself when I got here that I will not feel sad when Christmas comes around and find myself away from my family. I thought, why would I feel sad when I can speak to them anytime through skype, the phone or chat with them through YM. Besides, not everyone will be with us at Christmas this time because Baby will be on her Clerkship duty and Ebon will be with his family.

Despite all these excuses, there are a lot of things I still miss about Christmas in the Philippines. The never ending gift wrappings (which we start in November to go ahead of the Christmas rush in Divisoria, which is an essential part of the Filipino Christmas hype), the Simbang Gabi for 9 novena masses leading to Christmas day, the smell of Christmas air (and food), Christmas carols from "makukulit" na kids, endless Christmas parties and gift givings, Friends who suddenly appear and invite for coffee..... a long list that's impossible to complete!

But most of all, I will miss the Christmas get-away with my family. The simple checking-in in a hotel room just to have air-con for the rest of the day, a change in environment and cable t.v. Simple joys of snugging up together in a cold quilted bed while we hug and kiss and make fun of each other's mistakes in the year that has passed. The sound of everybody's laughter, the smell of gifts wrapped, the sight of gleeful faces....grabe!

But I have been experiencing that for 30 years now and this year will just be different. Not entirely sad...just different. Christmas happens as it should...just like the first one.