And The Countdown Begins. 85, 84, 83...

Today's October 1. Ambilis ng araw! 85 more days before Christmas. It's the waiting and preparing for Christmas that's really fun, and not Christmas at all, at least for me. For the past 6 Decembers, palagi na lang akong malungkot. Pag malapit na ang Pasko, I start to have this feeling again na gusto ko na talagang mag-resign. O kundi naman, winiwish ko na sana sa bangko na lang din ako nag-wo-work like my close friends Jona and Elley. O kahit anong trabaho na walang pasok pag legal at special holidays at pag sinabi ng presidente ng Filifins. Kasi every December 'di ba, there's this almost-a-week-long vacation from work dahil sa mga sunod-sunod na holidays. Kaya naman, pag December, uso ang lahat ng klase ng reunion (family, high school, atbp.), mga gatherings at of course, mga parteys! Most of the time, absent ako sa mga ganyan. Aheytchit!

Here in Baguio, I can already feel the Christmas vibe. Couple of times that I visited the mall this week that I heard Christmas songs playing. There are early Christmas promos in some stores, ads on TV and radio and Christmas decors in some places. Almost everywhere, I can see hints that Christmas is just around the corner. (Wag na magtanong kung saang corner ha?!)

And when we say Christmas, there also come the words family, togetherness, gifts, parties, and gifts, inaanaks, Aguinaldo, and gifts. Haist! I always want to be home every Christmas. My family has a home here in Baguio, that's for sho'. So I guess, I should say, I always want my family to be home every Christmas. And when I say home, I mean, Nueva Ecija or Pangasinan. Pero mas masaya sa Nueva Ecija kasi mas marami kami dun. At dun talaga ako. If I ask Elmer, for sho', Pangasinan pipiliin nun. Siya taga-dun e. Pero isa lang ng mama niya dun. Hindi masaya. But as he always says, "Yun na nga. Mag-isa lang niya dun, kaya mas dapat dun tayo mag-Pasko." Paano naman ang mga kamag-anak ko sa Nueva Ecija? Ma-mi-miss nila ako? (Siya kayang tunay?! Hmmm..)

Every year, I get to choose only one. Opo, isa lang sa dalawang mahalagang holidays ng taon. One holiday to be off work. Christmas or New Year. At di ko mapagtanto kung bakit ang mga kasama ko sa trabaho ay mga gaya-gaya! Gusto din nila ng New Year off. Parang nanalo sa lotto sa office pag natapat ka sa New Year off. Parang raffle draw kasi ang pag-decide. Hmp, kaloka!

I remember, nung 2010, Christmas off ako. As we all know, Christmas day and New Year's day always fall on the same day. Kung Thursday ang Pasko 2010, for sho', Thursday din ang New Year's Day 2011, yung ganun? So wala akong pasok ng December 24 at 25. The following week after that ginawa nilang December 31 AT January 2 ang off ko. Well, dahil tinamad ako at sa kagustuhan kong makasama ang pamilya ko, nagparamdam na ako sa boss na hindi na ako papasok ng January 1. Deadma siya at panay ang paalala na pasok sa banga ng suspension pag absent during critical work days. Pero mabait talaga si Lord at muli kong naramdaman, Ate Charo, na mahal Niya ako at ang aking pamilya. Ang pinakapuhunan ko sa industriya ng call center, ang aking malamig na boh-sehs, ang sumalba sa aking holidays. Minalat ako! Syempre secure agad ako ng aking medical certificate. Nakalimutan ko na ang tawag sa sakit. Basta may -itis sa dulo. Happy-happy ang Christmas 2010 at New Year 2011 ko.

And another good thing about Christmas ay ang kabi-kabilang mga Christmas parties. Photos below were something that I took last year in one of the Crhistmas parties that I attended. This was with Team Espinueva that I was assisting before.

Who gave me those horns?! ^_^

With my friend and choco mousse master Renj

Below are some photos naman that I took on December 25, 2009. This was the actual evening of Christmas. Elmer and I had dinner with Nikki outside. Baby pa lang si Calli dito. Five months. Elmer is not a fan of going out with a baby with us. He claims he's protecting the baby from possible sakit na makukuha niya outside. If I know, ayaw niya lang magbuhat, 'no!

Nikki was only 5 years old here

Elegant place pero sa SM lang naman 'to.

Bigla kong naisip, bakit ba itong sinulat ko? Ooh, I remember, because I was going through my photos in Facebook and saw some of the photos taken these past 2 Christmases which reminded me na malapit na nga na naman ang Pasko. Haist! Ambilis talaga ng araw. Siyang tunay!

And out.

Ciao! ♥