Our Christmas Carol

In 2003, I submitted the following piece to the Phil. Daily Inquirer's contest for readers to write about new Christmas family traditions. Proud to say, this won first prize! (P20,000 worth of gift certificates redeemable at all Rustan's establishments.) I like reading it just before Christmas so that I am reminded of the true meaning of the holidays! This the original, unedited version,  prior to publication in the Christmas issue of the broadsheet.

   
"Rudolp the red nose reindeer,
 Had a bery shiny nose
 Olop, the oder reindeer

 Use to lap and call him names…”

The holidays in my childhood used to be signaled by such Christmas carols sung by the neighborhood kids outside our door. Whenever I would hear the first notes, it was as if a light inside me would be switched on. It was a time of anticipation of greater things to come!

But as my world became a little less innocent, I began to hear their off-key strains of song. The musical notes would, in my cynical, imaginative mind, transform into peso signs! Giving spare change to the urchins was becoming a mindless activity. It was something which said “You’re a nuisance and here’s something to get rid of you.” The coins also seemed to say, “Your singing is not worth it!” So kids would just rush through a poorly performed song and after a phrase or two, would break into “Namamasko po!” Night after night you were punished by discordant singing and you got back at them with the measly coins.

Then I became a mother! Suddenly, I wanted to bring back and preserve for my children the traditions I enjoyed as a child. But how could I recover something that seemed to have been lost? How could I bring back the songs sung from the children’s hearts?

Thus began one of our “new” family traditions. The year it was born, instead of spare change, my children and I gave stubs to the neighborhood children who sang at our door. These, they could redeem for gift bags come Christmas Eve. Each caroler could only get one gift bag so any extra stubs they might have earned could be shared with their siblings or friends.

Every year my children, now 20 and 15, help in decorating and packing the bags. When the carolers come, it is their task to give the stubs and explain what they are for. Come Christmas, the gifts are given with reminders about the reasons for celebrating and a request for prayers.

The neighborhood kids seem to like it as they come back year after year. I don’t know, but the singing sounds better too. Could it be the gift bags? Or is it because we go out and listen to their songs when they come by our door? Is Christmas back at our doorsteps?