Christmas thoughts and plans

Merry Christmas!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here in Sg. The entire stretch of Orchard is all lighted up with matching Christmas tableaus on the sidewalk. Pakapinan pa ug mga Christmas carols blaring from speakers set up on light posts. How can you not feel the spirit of Christmas?

And not to forget the reason for the season. Tangs department store, an upscale shop smack dab in the middle of Orchard, proudly proclaims in huge yellow lights on its storefront, "With God, everything is possible". That just blew me away. Siguro Katoliko or at least Christian ang may-ari ng Tangs. I am glad that in a country where shopping and accumulating material goods is a national sport, little gems of spirituality such as this exist.

My gift list is shaping up nicely. I have sent out the Christmas cards already. When the lady at the postoffice asked me if it was all Christmas cards, I told here that there was a little something extra inside. (Surprise na lang ug unsa. :D) And she decided to add a little extra to my bill too. Maypa wala na lang ko nagsulti. :D Pero still, honesty is the best policy. :D

I am splitting my Christmas shopping in half this time. I am buying stuff from Singapore for people outside of Singapore and stuff from the Philippines for Singapore peeps. Will save me a bit of time and money sad. I'm sure there will be huge discounts during the after Christmas sales. Kaya mga singaporeans kuno, huwat lang gamay ha. :D

I don't have a plan yet as to what I will do during my vacation at home. I don't miss Filipino food all that much kasi we have Lucky Plaza to run to when we are craving anything Filipino. Plus we get enough visitors from the Philippines, bringing all sorts of culinary pasalubongs na pwede nami ka open ug our own store sad sa Lucky Plaza. :D

My sister during her recent visit here, brought CNT lechon na mainit-init pa nung dumating dito.
When we attend parties hosted by kapwa Filipinos, we get to eat our fill of Pinoy cuisine, including kinilaw. So yeah, a food trip isn't really a part of my itinerary. Although some bibingka, taho and tsokolate while attending dawn mass is definitely an option.

I would have wanted to go on a trip somewhere pero I feel like I should spend more time with my family rather than galivanting about. Pero who knows aparador, I might change my mind. A friend is already planning to kaladkad me to somewhere in the Philippines. :D

Hmmm... a shopping trip will have to be scheduled in. Not just for Christmas gifts but for me also. I miss Freeway, SM and Metro Ayala. :D Also a visit to Belo. Naa naman daw sa SM. Gusto ko mafeel how Belo touches my skin. :D

I will be hoarding some local magazines also para may magamit ako sa Sg. Good luck na lang sticking with the 15kg limit on that one. Definitely a salon will see the likes of me. To the heavens and presyo ng mga salon services diri and tama lang na new year, new look. Which I hope will last beyond the second New Year for the Chinese amongst us.

I hope that everybody will somehow manage to be in a festive mood inspite of all the doom and gloom of the recession. But even amidst all these festivities and rushing about, may we not forget that Christmas will not be Christmas if Christ were not born several millenniums ago. Ibig sabihin, birthday nya. I hope His Holy Name will find a space between kapitbahay #253, pinsan #15 and inaanak #29.

Alam na ni Lord anong gift nya sa yo. Ikaw, anong gift mo sa kanya?