We are in B.C. as in British Columbia in Anno Domini, A.D. What happened Before Christ and After Death, Reborn and the Resurrection are always been repeated during the Calendar years.
It's the 14th day of December 2019. Saturday. Eleven days before Christmas.
I'm not in the shopping mode yet, however I have the list of what I have to buy for my children. Of all children, my own children never really ask for anything. Unlike me when I was their age when I have a list of what my parents should give me but cannot afford. lol. Actually, gift giving is not a part of our Christmas celebration in Philippines. My family was happy just to have a hearty abundance of delicious food to have on the table for midnight noche buena after coming home from the church's mass. A get-together disco-dancing sort of with the loud music from our stereo and discotheque with strobelights flashing neonlights at the front yard of our house was the norm. Then our neighbors joined in to have some fun with us. The next day, breakfast is at lunch time. Almost like brunch. If we have time, my siblings and I have to visit our ninongs and ninangs (godparents) for blessings, to show them we're still alive. My ninong is a banker, a very famous man in his neighborhood that a long line (queue) up of kids from the road to his house gather almost stretching 150 ft. in measurement, well that was at the time when I arrived. It could be a queue of 500 yards long.
Many kids already left since then. lol. I seldom visit him because of that. I think had that vertigo spells when standing up for a longer period of time is not good for me especially under the heat of the sun. My ninang is a nurse and she moved to the U.S. when I was 12 years old and never heard of her since then. I hope her well and hope that my Godfather is also still alive and kicking.
My children's godparents are too far away to even been bothered. We showered them with lots of gifts. I know for sure they also missed their grandparents and aunts and uncles. Gift giving is not necessary but it's the choice here in Canada. It's not Christmas without exchange of gifts and that's the spirit of giving and receiving, of being generous and it comes with a price.
It's the price tag, baby! Too commercialized gift-giving. Commercialism as its best!
