on chirstmas

Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas. All else is outward display-so much tinsel and decorations. For it isn't the holly, it isn't the snow. It isn't the tree not the firelight's glow. It's the warmth that comes to the hearts of men when the Christmas spirit returns again.

Christmastime was always a magical time of year for me. The beautifully decorated shopping malls, with toys everywhere you looked, always fascinated me. And the houses, with the way their lights would glow upon the glistening snow at night, always seemed to calm me. But decorating the Christmas tree and falling asleep underneath the warm glow of the lights, in awe that Santa Claus would soon be there, was the best part of it all. As a child, these things enchanted me. Sure, the presents were great, but the excitement and mystery of Christmas; I loved most of all. Believing…that’s what it was all about. Believing there really was a Santa and waking up Christmas morning, realizing he’d come, as my sleepy eyes focused on all the fancily wrapped presents before me.

To me Christmas means a time to spend with family and a time for Santa to come. It also means a time to give to others. A time to give, but also to receive.  on this post i will share to you the way we celebrate christmas as family.

Much as i love christmas so did my brother and we are crazy during christmas.

christmas is for children i know that pretty well and we always find this kid underneath our christmas tree playing balls and eating candy.

i cant count how many balls this kid had broke this christmas. he was just amaze. kiel lives near us and he used to stay and drink milk inside our house. sometime he pee on the carpet sometimes he sleep with it.

my brother used to bring his friends inside our home. and we treat them as family. 

sometime they used to help us decorate our two christmas tree.

and most of the time they visit us without any reason.

filipinos are fond of caroling and that includes our parish priest and some of the members of our religious community when they visit us and sing a lot of christmas songs.

they sing like a pro!.

so lucky that mom and dad visit us after we got their US visa before christmas. i was with them at the embassy and they take me home. although its a quick visit but at least they visit us.

mom and dad treat us family. since father jovi left for his mission we used to visit them in their place. its quite far in our place but we enjoy visiting them.

cena and kiel are brothers whom my mom and lao love so much. cena is a preschooler and kiel is just two. this two are always inside our home. and the joy of having them around almost everyday is more than winning a lotto grand prize~] i love how cena and kiel smile and kiss mom. 

I got this gift from the my second home which is our office. we may not have the grand christmas party this year since our country suffered devastation brought by raging christmas typhoons  but at least the bazaar and extravagant celebration of christmas became more frugal and meaningful. for us who used to go shopping with the use of our christmas bonuses learned to set aside our wish lists to give way to the basic needs of those who were in need of help. We used to  follow the traditional simbang gabi and we do not limit our prayers and wishes only  for ourselves but also to other people who are suffering crisis in their lives.

they're my second family in the office.

and they are my extended family too. i love all of them.

our boss gave us ham for christmas.

mom and aunt flor enjoying the christmas evening outside our office while waiting our ride home.

this are the neighborhood kids i get to play with during summer and holidays. they are all singing christmas carol and waiting for my promise christmas toys. 

our christmas this year may not be that grand compared to last year but as long as we are together no matter what trials we have to endure i believe we can always make it through.

we make sure that the three of us are together during christmas.

we may not be that rich but at least we are together. 

we wish all the families to have peace and love inside their home like we used to.

Our family used to serve excessive servings of food during Noche Buena learned to limit our cooking and share the extra ones to others instead of leaving it spoiled on the fridge.

my brother spend half of his earned money buying all the gifts we want to give our neighborhood kids. i know mom cant have small kids but we dont feel we lack one having them around.

on christmas eve all kids got their present from the three of us.

i took this shot on the eve of christmas while waiting for santa.

lao and kiel love each other very much. and they took all my present on christmas night.

i love this because this is my last pix of 2013.

i gave all this for my brother because that's all he ever wanted.

he got this from the neighborhood and all. you see its good to give and so good to receive. 

and we take all the cards and gift cards given to us and we forever treasure.

and lastly christmas is isnt about giving it is also receiving something you dont really expect since i have age and grown and have my job but my mom gave me this and i am forever grateful. 

loaded with five thousand bucks on christmas day i say merry christmas from my family to yours!