the most christmas-sy feeling in years

this year, I spent the least amount of money for Christmas presents. and yet it still makes a lot of sense to say that this year, to me, rendered the most christmas-sy feeling in years. =)

first, i finally afforded a special Christmas wish after completing the 9-day Simbang Gabi novena -- my first time to ever accomplish so. It helped perhaps to have someone with you toiling through the early morning sacrifice. Or it helped to have the option to hear anticipated mass in the evening. But nevertheless, it's quite a refreshing (and rather liberating) feeling, indeed. When it came down to the last mass and I had that "special wish" at hand, I had no second thoughts in offering it for someone else's welfare. ( you know who you are, I pray for that 99% every day, hon!) And you know what, it actually felt good --- this is no other than the Christmas spirit finally seeping through my heart.

this year's Christmas season also ushered in the most opportunities to be with my family and loved ones. yes, we're finally complete (ate pam's home!) and are graced with the presence of additional "special guests" around the house! (welcome, TJ, David, Sam and Sir Kent!) But as if the presence is not enough, the crazy surprises our family got into really made sense out of the entire Christmas season; this is after all a season of joy, now made more felt as a season of uncontrollable laughter. The exchange gift agreement (supposedly instead of giving gifts to all the members of the family) was a reminder to me once again that the most valuable things in life need not be tagged with extravagant price tags. it was quite tough to limit gifts for special people at a meager P100 per gift, but I personally felt it made the Christmas gift-giving more meaningful. it was a return to what matters most in life, and a nudge to say that love cannot be measured by money. And of course, I really had a blast with the family's spectacular noche buena --- made star-studded in the presence of movie stars such as Gollum, Queen Amidala, King Kong, Batman, Darth Vader, Shrek and the Little Mermaid. Halloween truly came in a little late in our family as we all did away with our inhibitions to arrive to the dinner table dressed in the most absurd (and rather challenging) costumes. fyi, i dressed as gollum and carried a smelly fish throughout the night.. go figure!

finally, this year, I felt a lot of warmth in the company of good friends --- old and new. i felt it important to make a connection with the people i hold dear, and that meant really making an effort to reach out to them. i felt love hovering over my body and spirit; but more importantly, i was holding forgiveness back and finally letting it burst out. this season is the most Christmas-sy it could get because the generosity of the self liberated me sufficiently, ready now to face a new year.

I have nothing else to say but i love you...and you and you.. you who have touched my life in a very special way.