SUBSCRIBE24th of December
24 December. I woke up rather early even before my mobile phone’s alarm went off. But when it did, I changed the alarm to 0615H and just waited. When I checked again, it was 0637H! I erroneously set it at 0915H, that’s
why I immediately headed for a quick shower, got dressed and went out of the condo. Brrr, the morning air is quite nippy. I just like December mornings. Its cold and slumber’s just good. When I was still studying in Cebu, heading out to school, I used to blow into the air and just enjoy the “smoke” that’s generated, just like those movie scenes I’ve watched.
Bus not so crowded and traffic at the SLEX (South Luzon Expressway) was just light except when I arrived in Bicutan where it took time for the bus I’m riding to cross the highway. From morning to afternoon, I was at our Paranaque office for my Christmas duty. Not so hectic with just hourly reports being prepared and the usual coordinations with our counterparts who were manning in the provinces.
By the way last night at Glorietta, I’ve just noticed that most people there were busy shopping, both hands full with assorted bags of gifts and food from the smallest plastic pouches to huge cartons in tow. Me on the other hand just bought two shirts, underpants and a present for my amour. Expect that today until the evening, people will be in a rush for last minute shopping of gifts and food for noche buena. Red Ribbon’s stores (a local pastry outlet that was just bought by the giant Jollibee) will again be stacked with lots and lots of boxes of cakes while Delifrance (another Jollibee subsidiary) is stacked with the usual fruit cake.
A few hours from now and the whole world will be celebrating Christmas. All will be busy with the noche buena preparations. I just remember years ago when I was still based in Cebu, I used to prepare our crossover repast of pasta, usually spaghetti or lasagna, bake something like brazo de mercedes or sans rival while my sister prepares her chiffon cake but this is usually overshadowed with the more fancy ones from Red Ribbon that I buy in the city while my mother usually does the macaroni salad. In later years, I just leave it to them or buy directly since I was just too lazy to cook.
After the feast, after the firecrackers, its just back to our beds and wake up in the morning, expecting the usual SMS of holiday greetings, pamasko (gifts) and eating the noche buena leftovers. 
