Showing posts with label Christmas 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas 2012. Show all posts

Thursday, January 2, 2014

2/365: The Things that I Miss When the Christmas Season is Over. (A Repost from My Former Blog)

My second entry for my 365 Day Blogging challenge is a repost from one of my blogs that I already deactivated.  At first I was hesitant to include this on my 365 Day Blogging challenge but this is the most perfect time to re-post this or else I will need to wait another year.  Anyway this is Christmas holiday related so here it is!

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A lot of things have been said how good it is to spend the Christmas season in the Philippines and just like every Filipino I totally agree to all of them .

The Feast of Epiphany was celebrated last Sunday, January 6, this also officially marked that the Philippine Christmas season is over.  In spite of the long season of celebration, I still can’t help but wish that it is still Christmas.  Oh how I enjoyed these things during Christmas and now I am missing them…

Simbang Gabi (Dawn Mass)

I am one among the Roman Catholics who annually observed this devotion.  Not only that I am completing the nine-day novena, but I also experimented doing it in my own way.  The mass starts as early as 4:00 AM which means that you need to be awake earlier than that.  This is really challenging especially for  working people who needs to take away sleeping/rest time.

The Food outside the church after each Simbang Gabi
Going out of the fully packed church, you will be welcomed by the delicious smell of Bibingka, Puto Bumbong, Suman, Tsaa (Tea) and a lot more Filipino Christmas food.  Modern food stores are now selling these foods all year round but nothing compares in smelling them right under your nose while they are being cooked and prepared in front of you. and then consumed them while they are still hot!  Oh so yummy!

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bibingka

December Breeze
The Philippines is a tropical country and it’s hot most of the time. The cold December breeze is such a breather for everybody.  At least once a year we can experience a cold temperature less the rain and storms.

Hearing Christmas carols at dawn time
I just love to hear these undying songs especially at dawn time when everything is still quiet and peaceful

Buying and wrapping gifts and receiving thoughtful gifts
Though this part can sometimes drain your Christmas bonus, the feeling is fulfilling though that you are able to express your thoughtfulness even once a year (“Minsan lang sa isang taon” ).

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The festive mood and decorations everywhere.
There are people everywhere mostly a whole family.  In spite of the traffic and holiday rush, there’s a unique look of joy in everybody’s faces.

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And most of all… isn’t it that most people are extra forgiving, charitable and thoughtful during Christmas?  What about you? What do you miss most about Christmas?

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Mixed Nuts: A Special Acknowledgment Post

Ok I’m not referring here about the popular junk food and the former TV show but I’m referring to several blog post tags and greetings that I need to acknowledge “big time” not only for blogging ethics but also because I sincerely appreciate them “BIG TIME!”

I intentionally did not mention about them during the holiday season because my plan is to acknowledge them altogether in one post.  However, I under estimated the thoughtfulness of my fellow bloggers. I did not expect that there would be a lot!  So this post might be a bit long please bear with me because these people deserved a well written acknowledgement.

First, the SMP Blog Award and awesome holiday widgets from Maria.

First off, I apologize my dear if I didn’t get to reply to this tag during the holidays.  It is for the same reason as I’ve mentioned above.  But nonetheless I just want you to know that this is much appreciated. Who wouldn’t want to be awarded as “Super Miss Popular”!? Aaaw! So here’s my answer to your questions.
Maria
Your life is going to become a script for a movie. Whose local/foreign celebrity would you want to play you?
Angelina Jolie or Sandra Bullock maybe?  I’m really not sure who I want.  I chose these two actresses because they have hyper-active life like me.

You get to become a villain for a day from a Disney movie. Which villain are you?
The wicked aunt of Cinderella.  I consider her as the most famous villain so if I will be known for such I would rather choose the most famous or, the most hated one lol.

Aside from family, what's your greatest accomplishment in life?
My blogs. Because I used to write for someone else before and it’s always a plan to write for my own but I kind of delaying it. So I consider this as one of my accomplishments though not the greatest.

In your own views, what's the spirit of Christmas?
The spirit of Christmas is HOPE. Because it is the birth of our savior.
balutmanila
I apologize if I will park the tagging from here.  Since my reply to this is quite late I read from other blogs that almost every blogger I know is tagged.   Much thanks also for the wonderful holiday widgets girl!  The one posted here adorned my side bar for the whole holiday season and the blinking “Balut Manila” widget was useful for my Christmas Post.  You are so creative!

THANK YOU to Pao Kun of  "To Infinity and Beyond! Pangkalawakan!" for this awesome FAMILY picture!  I proudly posted this in my personal Facebook labeled as “my blogging family”.  I saw also that this has been a “box-office” hit among fellow bloggers - applause, applause!

My Blogging Family

My smile is gleaming when I see this unique Christmas Tree from Sis Leah of Travel Quest.  A much even better holiday tree than all the one I saw this season. See those beautiful faces in the Christmas balls? I’m one of them yey!

Christmas-Living-Room-Design-christmas-tree copy

Juicy JayAbout Jay's Journey shared to my Facebook Timeline this beautiful Christmas family picture that you can also find from his holiday post, just click the link.  It is heartwarming to see a fellow blogger in a happy home with his happy family.  Thanks so much Jay for the Facebook greetings.  May God continually bless and guide you and your family.
JonDMur

Aside from the awesome New Year greeting card that JONDMUR created for me and my other fellow bloggers, I found this cute Christmas card in my Facebook inbox!  I’m imagining that Jon is one of the chipmunks, but oh I remember he’s a “Blogerong Penguin” ha ha.  Love it!

123 Greet from King AI also found this warm greetings from my email inbox and it came from no other than King A of Chateau De Archieviner.  Wow.. this really makes my holiday a little more warmer.  Thanks again King A!

The next two are not holiday greetings but I can’t just let these two sweetness and thoughtfulness past without special acknowledgment.

Apart from the sweet New Year greetings that Arline of the Pink Line sent me, she made me these sweet cup cakes for my blog anniversary.  Hmn.. I can taste its deliciousness even by just looking at it from Twitter.  Thanks again Arline. Aside from being one of the sexiest, you are also one among the sweetest in the blogosphere.

Pink Line
And if there’s a sweetest girl here, here’s one among the sweetest and the most supportive boy in the blogosphere - MEcoy!  I am out words describing how you've been around all along.  THANK YOU Mecoy - really love and appreciate this cute greet!

MEcoy

THANKS to all of you thoughtful people! I feel so guilty that I can’t return your thoughtfulness in deed (yet) - again my apologies. My schedule for the last quarter of 2012 and until now is too chaotic. If not for my passion for writing and expression plus the fun I'm getting from all of you, I might have given up blogging considering my current scenario. The “chaos” here is in the positive side though, except that I feel that I have too much to handle right now that if I will add anything that is even the most minimal, I will be unable to handle it anymore.

A BIG THANK YOU also to those who greeted me during the holidays.  My blogs followers, readers and especially my frequent commentators.  I know that most of you has the same busy “going-ons” in life especially during the holidays but you still took the time to visit my blogs.  I said this before and I’ll say it again, you made my holidays in the blogosphere more meaningful, fun and exciting!

And for those who think that they should be especially mentioned in this post but did not see themselves -  I love surprises, who knows you might receive one from me one of these days (wink*wink*).  See you around peeps!

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Happy Christmas Everyone! (Maligayang Pasko sa Lahat!)

I’d Miilad said oua sana saida (Arabic)
Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan (Chinese Mandarin)
Sretan Bozic (Croatian)
Glaedelig Jul (Danish)
Vrolijk Kersfeest (Dutch)
Maligayang Pasko (Filipino)
Hyvaa joulua (Finnish)
Joyeux Noël (French)
Fröhliche Weihnachten (German)
Kala Christouyenna! (Greek)
Selamat Hari Natal (Indonesia)
Nollaig Shona Dhuit (Irish)
Buon Natale! (Italian)
Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto (Japanese)
Sung Tan Chuk (Korean)
Natale hilare et Annum Faustum! (Latin)
IL-Milied It-tajjeb (Maltese)
Feliz Natal! (Portuguese)
Pozdravlyenie s Rozjdyestvom I s Novym Godom! (Russian)
God Jul (Swedish)
La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou (Samoan)
Feliz Navidad (Spanish)
Naya Saal Mubarak Ho (Urdu)
Chuc Mung Giang Sinh (Vietnamese)
Nadolig Llawen (Welsh)
God Jul or Gledelig Jul (Norwegian)

Wherever you are regardless of religion and belief, our sincerest wish for a HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

balutmanila[3]
Traditional Filipino Christmas Lantern100_8137

(Awesome “Balut Manila” blinking widget courtesy of blogger friend Maria.)

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