Paskua 2018

A few months ago, a friend asked me to go on a roadtrip in the Cordillera region for the Christmas holiday. For years, he consistently did the same--celebrate holidays in the Boracay, spend the New Year's in Manila so we can go clubbing, book a trip abroad--and I had to turn him down every time. You see, I can do all those another time, just not on Christmas or Holy Week. Christmas, I had to go home to Cagayan and spend it with my family. Holy Week, I am not even religious but I don't want to spend this time walaying (going around).

I saw a post on Facebook, a meme about why Filipino-Americans have  to spend Christmas with their families as opposed to how Americans usually spend theirs, they can basically do anything. The post explains that once you miss this gathering, your entire family will disown you. It's a hyperbole, but you get the idea. Christmas is a big deal in the Philippines or for any Filipinos in the world for that matter.

The Philippines is probably the biggest celebrator of Christmas, the celebrations starting as early as September, when establishments start putting up their Christmas decorations and play that Jose Mari Chan album. At home, we almost do not celebrate Christmas, however, it is still important for my parents that I am home during this time. This year though, I came home early, well, because I had all the time 😁being able to do my work anywhere, and also because I had to undergo a minor procedure.

During this time, it is usually cold in Cagayan, sometimes, sometimes the season is also thumped by rains or typhoons. This year it is the latter.



Please tell Joey, Christmas is stormy. 🎝🎜 This is the weather in Cagayan mostly during my vacation. The usual cold December weather brought by Amihan winds being worsened by the typhoon in Central Luzon. Before I came home, I asked my mother about the weather because I initially planned to take my white sneakers. I decided to take the maroon ones instead, which was a good decision.

One afternoon and it was raining hard, I just started reading Tatlong Gabi Tatlong Araw by Eros Atalia and thought the weather fitting, 😂 (SORRY pero parang 4D effect, since the novel's story is also about a storm.)

Another concern of mine is how it will be impossible to cook tinubung with this kind of weather. I always look forward to eating this treat during this season.

While other parts of the Philippines have their puto-bumbong, in Cagayan, we have tinubung, a rice cake made of ground sticky rice with coconut milk, sugar and nuts or raisins placed inside bamboo tubes and cooked over low fire. This food takes time to prepare and is expensive so umaasa lang ako lagi sa mga bigay ng karruba (neighbors). 😂 At home, we usually only cook other forms of rice cakes or deko.

Another Philippine Christmas tradition that's still alive in Cagayan is caroling. When I was younger, I used to go caroling with my cousins during Christmas eve, and also New Year's, haha. Now it's my younger cousins and neighbors turn. Although I noticed that they are usually is small and many groups. During our time, we go as one big group. That way, people will give us more, and I personally think that's the better way to do it because not everyone in our neighborhood has a lot of money to spare to many groups of carolers. A group with more members singing also sounds better, even though most of us could't sing, the loudness makes up for it. 😂 Para mas malakas sa tahol ng aso. 😂 Happy na ako noon kapag after ng hatian ay meron akong 20 pesos.

One afternoon, a group of late carolers came by and they asked for cuttings of this plant, which we call "everyday"–in red and orange varieties.

It always makes me feel happy whenever I see carolers receiving other goods aside from cash. It's typical for some households to give other to carolers such as tinubung. It is also common to encounter carolers even after the new year, especially those coming from far villages.

With a fair weather, this is how the view from our house looks like. I usually spend most of the time in my room, watching, laptoping, reading or sleeping. But when it gets too hot during the day, I go outside where this is a view on one side. It is not that remarkable, but it becomes one whenever I view as a photo when I am not home.

These rice seedlings were just broadcasted a day after I came home. Our house being just beside this rice field, I get to see how they grow everyday. And they do grow fast!

Eggplants and tomatoes. Some of the vegetables grown at home. The beauty of living in the province, where there is an abundance of free fertile soil and space to plant on.

One of our two furry companions at home. This one was scared of me when I just arrived (he'd forgotten me) but within the day, he was already friendly, and eventually clingy.

This one have grown 5 times its size as a baby but still playing with this little burger toy. I was kind of surprise the toy is still there. And it's still his favorite playmate. Earlier this year, I searched the cabinet at home for stuffed toys or trinkets I can use to play with this then-kitten and decided that this small stuffed burger toy made is the best one because my mother will most probably won't mind if it ends up being ripped. 😁 My family adopted this cat when it was just a kitten. I think they found it in the yard. He was still very small and we even thought he won't make it because he was separated from his mother too early. But look at him now, still full of energy and even developed a rather funny habit of moving his nose to sniff for food. He eats almost anything and he eats a lot. His belly is perpetually round.