FOR this fam, tis the season to slowly wrap our Christmas gifts, mementos and tokens for both the little kids on our two sides of the family fence and our esteemed comrades and fellow office mates (now-turned mere online “contacts”). The number of children on both sides have grown a bit with the addition of four infants born in the time of global quarantine. During this year’s yuletide celebrations, they will surely be the only apples in everyone’s eyes.
Also, to relive our Urayan tradition because we haven’t done so in three years or more, we’ve decided to again put up a Christmas tree (or rather a symbolic representation of one). This time, my guitar Frida, snuggled in his soft case, will play the role of Tree, as we plain forgot that we’ve already disposed of the old tree, the very one that had served us for many years. I know Frida will gladly accept the part in this year’s programme.
Also, this coming Christmas is going to be memorable in many ways. For one, it will sadly be the first Christmas Day for our families when the birth of sweet baby J will be without the presence of His co-celebrator in the person of my brother and everybody’s Daddy Bong. He passed away in April this year and I am sure, his children, apos and two new infant-great grandchildren will feel this season quite differently.
Likewise, the clan has also become more spread than ever, not just because of the covid-imposed quarantine protocol, but also for reasons of taking advantage of job-related opportunities elsewhere. As such, the dream of having our family compound completely filled again with clan during festivities other than Christmas, is still a long time to come. But then, as they always say, tomorrow is a long time.
At least, that wraps up the familial update while we await the time of Noche Buena, where we’re still finalizing what food to bring. I just wish that in a similar manner, we can also wrap up a few other things other than the usual Christmas gifts and good news about family.
As it is, the past two weeks had seen a sprinkle of friends and acquaintances going gaga over the play-acting of several aspiring politicos on media, social and otherwise. Wrap it up already, fellas. With the pandemic not yet over by a long shot and many other personal chores still left to do for our families, let them politicos worry about their own problems.
Even for those who refuse to believe it, we’re all being played in this Wag the Dog exercise. Being played, like one friend who commented that the ongoing vaccination drive was a business, and another who insisted that it was all a hoax so that we’d be less overpopulated. Come on, wrap it up already!
