THE Christmas season, particularly the holiday break, is by
far the most joyous time of the year. Having extended time off work to just
take things easy at home with my family makes it even more blissful. From the
23rd to the 29th of December, I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out at our own
little house in Marilao, Bulacan, rather than traveling elsewhere. I wouldn't
even get dressed up; it was my time to relax, read, and do some housekeeping
without any time pressure.
First on my list was organizing my school and personal files in my study area, as well as backing up my desktop files onto CDs. Next was tackling the clutter and dirt all over the house. It is amazing how much clutter can accumulate when you aren't paying attention. I sorted through unused clothes, old books, magazines, decorations, and kitchenware.
While inspecting the shelves, closets, and kitchen racks, I
discovered a swarm of termites burrowing into a closet where my kids' old
schoolbooks and some of my teaching files were stacked. The termites must have
found the books delicious, because they had crunched through almost all of them
and nibbled on my files. The rest of my documents and other parts of the house
would have been completely gobbled down had I failed to detect this silent
insect invasion for another month or two.
Realizing the severity of the threat, I knew I had to act
fast before they spread to the rest of the house. I immediately cleared out the
damaged books and infested files, bagging them tightly to prevent any stragglers
from escaping. To be absolutely sure, I also checked the baseboards and walls
of the adjacent rooms, applying a preventative barrier just in case.
My wife helped me declutter and get our home guest-ready. We
hosted visitors on the 24th, mostly my in-laws from Malate, Manila. With
additional holiday chores like wrapping gifts, planning, and preparing the
Noche Buena, keeping a clean home for the holidays was a real challenge for
her. She redid the decorations on the Christmas tree and walls, and changed the
curtains and sofa covers. But this year, because I was completely present and
available, she looked incredibly relaxed. She even mentioned how wonderful it
felt to prepare the holidays together at our own pace without the usual stress
of packing bags and rushing to a vacation in the province.
Staying home also meant helping with the laundry and sharing
the cooking chores. But this time, as if we were enjoying an extended family
weekend, I did most of the cooking. I truly enjoyed it, especially when I saw
my kids eagerly anticipating the mostly Ilocano recipes I served.
During my free time between chores, I made sure the kids
were entertained every second of the day—otherwise, you would constantly hear,
"I'm bored!" or "When are we going out?" I let them watch
DVD movies with my wife and me, and they were perfectly happy watching old
films and cartoons.
I also gave the kids extended playtime, which I wouldn't
normally do during the school year. I allowed them to play with their friends
out on the street, especially in the afternoons. My two boys played basketball
at the nearby plaza every morning, while my six-year-old daughter was content
playing with her new Barbie doll and cash register toy. I even let them swim
with their cousins in the clubhouse pool on Christmas Day, and we flew kites
together the following day.
The kids thought the holidays were just fine, despite the
fact that I had canceled all plans for a holiday getaway. Fortunately, even
while staying home, they got exactly what they requested from Santa and
received gifts and cash from their godparents and relatives. I told them that
going to Star City during this time of year was out of the question. With the
monstrous crowds of peak season, they wouldn't get their money's worth because they
would have to endure grueling queues for their favorite theme park rides.
Going to the mall was also entirely out of the plan. I would
not willingly drag my kids through the holiday madness, navigating heavy mall
traffic and multitudes of shoppers darting between regular stalls and mini tiangges.
I absolutely detest the long queues for security checks at the narrow entrances
and the Christmas carols playing non-stop. I don't think I could have endured
the endless lines at the cash counters or even the restrooms. Best of all, by
shunning the shopping malls during this season, I intentionally blocked the
temptation to overspend.
Surprisingly, we all discovered that we could have immense
fun without ever leaving our home during the holiday break. Call me shallow,
but being with my wife and happy kids for seven straight days at home was a
rare and exhilarating experience. On our last evening of the break, my wife
looked at our happy, exhausted children and told me this was the most peaceful
and fulfilling Christmas she had ever had. I wouldn't exchange that for any
material gift this season.
