Officially, I have reached my Christmas vacation. But I still have to go back to school on Saturday for a four-hour make-up class in MCN. I love MCN. It's one of my favorite subjects so MCN is worth going to school this Saturday for.

As always, I got no money to spend for the holidays. In fact, Ate Pam is in UP Diliman while Ate Nik is in UP Manila -- both of my sisters are there to marvel at the lantern parade. Meanwhile, I'm obviously in the house, slumped on a chair in front of the computer, blogging away my thoughts. I may have no money but generally it's not really a big problem for me since Christmas means food and food satisfies hunger so Christmas will never make me go hungry. That's more crucial for me this vacation. Hehe. My Mama keeps asking me what we would like to have for Noche Buena, the greatest banquet of the year. Here's my roster:

• Garilao's Chocolate Cake




• Only people from Merville and others who have tasted Polly's delicacies know this. Their chocolate cake is totally BEYOND compare. Special events are not special events if the Garilao cake is missing.




• Fiesta Ham


• Pasta


• Baked Tahong


• Calamares


• Red Wine


• Ref Cake


• Breads




• Baguettes


• Ciabatta




• Tastes good with or without strawberry jam spread on it.






• Caesar Salad


• Ice Cream


• Chocolate Bars

The Noche Buena will be swell for sure. But I'm trying to visualize what I would be doing the rest of the vacation. I am left with many things to do as a matter of fact. I have to study for two long exams to be held on the first week on January and prepare some FNCP in CHN and a report in Pathophysiology. With all these that need to be done before the 2nd of January, I don't know if I could gladly enjoy my two-week Christmas hibernation.

This morning I had a very hearty breakfast, so plentiful that I did not bother to eat brunch nor lunch this afternoon. No, I am not trying to cut back on food. Anyway, this is actually the first time I've ever found Don Henrico's Buffalo Wings delectable. I didn't like the flavor when my family first ordered their Buffalo Wings years ago. I suppose this food tastes better when taken home and eaten the next morning. It's soo good! Even the garlic dressing that goes along with it tastes delicious, too!

Talk about food and Christmas...

I seldom bother to read between the lines of songs but I suddenly paid attention to this very famous Christmas song and now I'm wondering... what could be the meaning behind this?


Kay Sigla ng Gabi

Kay sigla ng gabi, ang lahat ay kay saya!
Nagluto ang Ate ng manok na tinola,
Sa bahay ng Kuya ay mayroong litsunan pa!
Ang bawat tahanan ay may handang iba't-iba.

Tayo na giliw, magsalo na tayo!
Meron na tayong tinapay at keso.
Di ba Noche Buena sa gabing ito,
At bukas ay araw ng Pasko!


Did you notice anything odd here? The second stanza says:

Tayo na giliw, MAGSALO na tayo!
MERON NA TAYONG TINAPAY AT KESO.
'Di ba NOCHE BUENA sa gabing ito,
At bukas ay araw ng Pasko!

I wonder if this is the song of poor Filipino families celebrating Christmas Eve with nothing to eat but merely bread and cheese. The older sister has 'manok na tinola' and the older brother has 'litsunan' in his house. The neighborhood has prepared varied foods as well. And yet these 'lovers' have bread and cheese for Noche Buena. (Meanwhile, come Christmas Eve, I'm having the food listed above). Even then, I can surmise that these lovers are still happy that at least they got something to celebrate Christmas Eve with.

This song appears sad and happy to me. Sad because in reality many indigent Filipinos still have nothing much to eat on ordinary days, let alone this Christmas season. Happy because being with loved ones matters to them most, making their 'pagsasalo' a more unforgettable event.