maooaoa

[maooaoa]

COLD BREEZE ON A CHRISTMAS EVE

I always feel genuine love as I hear familiar vehicle sounds coming from the gate—a Christmas day. That alone is a big gift for me, an obvious hint that my cousins were coming. I didn't even remember how we started to get along, but one thing is for sure—we all met up at the same spot, our grandparents' home. 

More than ten cousins at that, and we live across different places. Some lived in Linabo, some lived in Bagong Silang, Baungon, Cagayan de Oro, and some even lived in Cebu.

As for me, I was just a meter away from my grandparents' house.

 

Seeing them in the distance, stepping out of the vehicle, my face would light up brightly like a sun. Despite being shy, I would hurriedly rush and smile at them. It just felt complete with them by my side, even so on a Christmas day.

As children, our favorite time of the day has always been the evening.

 

No Christmas lights, Christmas trees, or Christmas parols—no decorations. Our Christmas evening back then was purely about 2F: family and food. No cap, but my grandparents' house was as spacious as the width of a school building; we would play tag around the house and scare each other out.

Even with the cold breeze roaming, not a single second would the atmosphere die—silence just wouldn't emerge. As expected from the adults, they were more prone to laughing loudly than us.

 

But no one can deny, we've had more fun. I remember one time, one of my cousins fouled me. He begged me to sniff one of his fingers, and do you know what the smell is? It came from his butt. To this day, I still feel nauseous thinking about it. 

"Really? Right in front of my salad?" as a reference to what I felt.

 

Then came midnight. Midnight of December 25. The best night ever. That would mean having a feast up the ground. Not on the roof, but on the next floor. As my cousins and I stepped just one more time from the staircase, the chilling feeling was evident. 

Compared to the first floor, this was way worse because all the windows were opened. Does grandfather even feel the cold? NOPE, I don't think so.

 

Have you ever watched that one TikTok video that says that if you feel cold, somehow you'll randomly start having an attack of happiness?

 

That was exactly the best description of what I felt at that moment—as if I was looking forward to an exciting experience that could happen anytime. And I always do feel that on Christmas Eve. And perhaps that's the reason I like the evening more than the day.

 

The moment we stomped both of our feet on the wooden floor, we were surprised because in front of us, tons of food were placed on the table. Foods, like spaghetti, lechon baboy, and of course, the famous food of all time (just kidding)—hotdog with marshmallows on top. And of course, before we savored those delicious meals, we prayed to Jesus Christ and thanked Him for His birth, life, death, and resurrection. 

 

After all, He is the reason we celebrate this special day annually.

Right after prayer, every one of us, cousins, would go to the same spot and share waves of laughter while eating, and our laughter would eventually lose its volume and our bodies would go all over the place. Loud soothing laughter could be heard from the adults too; indulged in food and interesting conversations.

 

Now I'm sixteen.

And they say that Christmas doesn't feel the same way anymore. I feel that way sometimes, too. My cousins don't visit the place anymore. And what's more—our home's now far away from my grandparents.

 

Years and years, I waited 'til night at my grandparents' home every December 25, yet vehicles just passed by our gate, never entering.  

I couldn't celebrate Christmas the same way anymore. I guess these things do happen inevitably as long as we're humans.

 

Even so, I'm still grateful that they celebrate Christmas to this day, even with other people. Because the reason we celebrate is not because of man but rather because of the birth of Jesus Christ.

 

I still want to believe we will reunite. After all, it's the best to celebrate Christmas with the ones you love, isn't it?