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Photo by jspad on Flickr

Can you believe it? Just a few more days…36 days to be exact, and it’s Christmas!!!

I love Christmas because it’s cooler here in the tropics. I look forward to the “Simbang Gabi” or Midnight Novena Mass we have before Christmas. I love that friends and family members who work abroad come home for reunions.

After being hit with the flood though, and with oil prices and goods sky rocketing this holiday season. I feel it would be better if we celebrated this Christmas with less spending on decorations and think more about sharing what we have to kids or families who are still trying to recover from the flood. I feel it is our responsibility, for those of us who can give, to really help out the people around us who need it the most.

Back when my husband and I were renting a small room in Cebu, our Christmas feast consisted of a homemade ham I made myself, Filipino-style spaghetti my husband made, a nice bottle of wine, cheese, a big chocolate bar and a can filled with chocolate chip cookies. And this was cooked using a small rice cooker and a small electric stove. Cooking inside the room wasn’t allowed, and it was good that the people in the next room wasn’t there when we were making these It was a simple feast but we loved it because we made it ourselves.

This Christmas would be our first Christmas in our house. We already have a Christmas tree with only some lights as decorations. A Santa poster hangs outside our door, and my son and I made a red Christmas stocking to hang on the stairs. (Since we have no chimney) I have to make two more for me and my husband.

Christmas doesn’t have to be too expensive. What is important is being grateful for what you have and passing the love around.

I want to let you in about my little obsession, it’s the movie “300″. I must have watched it a hundred times already (It’s also currently playing on HBO this April) and I can even say out the lines along with them. Who wouldn’t be mesmerized with 300 almost naked, rippled, six-pack men running, shouting and brandishing their long swords? I guess if you have a body as awesome as that, why would you want to hide it under robes, right? (Hee!)

Another reason why I am so fascinated with this movie is because it “somehow” tells me how to raise my son. My son is 10 years old. He’s a sweetheart, but being an only child, I fear I’ve been too soft on him. I’m big on hugs, and at night before going to bed, my son and I like to talk, tell stories, and tickle each other until he gives up.

Watching King Leonidas in 300, I feel a little guilty that perhaps I should have raised him differently. But what do I know about raising men? When Huz is too busy to spend time with him, what’s a mom to do to help his little boy grow up as a man?

Last night my son said to me that when he grows up he doesnt want to get married so he could stay close to me. I know kids can easily change their minds, but I felt a slight prick of fear when he said that, afraid that he might really be serious.

I almost wish I could send him off to a “Sparta Summer Camp” to toughen him up a little. He’s a great kid, too much of a mommy’s boy though

I was surprised when I found out a woman in California gave birth to Octuplets or eight babies. Imagine my shock when I found out she has SIX more children in her care, all under the age of  eight.

This news has sparked a lot of angry comments from CNN readers. You can find the whole article here. I’m posting a sample of some of the comments I’ve read at CNN:

I can understand why some would feel shocked by this and call the mother irresponsible,they probably had a difficult time raising their own children. But for someone who likes a large family,who are we to say if this is wrong or right.

We as parents have a duty to raise our children to be productive citizens. For our generation, they taught us family planning, and programmed us to have just one, two, or three kids: the better to feed them and provide their needs. However I noticed that with small families, those who only have one or two kids in the family, most grow apart. They move away once they are old enough to fend for their own, raise families of their own, and only see each other on holidays, or not at all.

But with families who have three or more children, there are bonds formed, most especially if the children realize the hardship their parents took to raise all of them. The eldest brother or sister acts as surrogate parents and watch over their siblings, and this bond continues even after they are old enough and have families of their own.

Now that I am old, I wish there was more than just my sister and me. We fought a lot because of the 4 year age gap, and though we have a better relationship now because we both have kids, we are still different as night and day. It would have been nice if there was a big brother or sister to talk to, a younger sibling to pamper or hang out with, or play music just like the Jonas Brothers, or Hanson.

Is it really that bad to want a big family?

I don’t know about you, but December is a special time for me. I just love the holiday rush, and this will be the first Christmas that I will be taking over the kitchen! (bwahahaha!) I learned a lot from Foodista to feel confident enough to cook this Christmas.

This week is pretty packed for me. Sunday, I bought my mom a brand new wheelchair. Thanks to oDesk,I was able to save enough to buy her wheels! Now it will be easier for her to go outside. Monday was my son’s first communion. He looked so innocent when he marched to the altar *sigh* Can’t believe my son’s all grown up!

And tomorrow, I’ll be going with him for his educational trip. He wanted to go alone, but Im a little scared to let him go (in case he has seizures). He understands why I have to be there, and I’m glad he’s still cool with it. I know it won’t be long when boys like him would be embarrased to have their parents tag along I’ll take this time with him while I still can.

Now, Charles’ on his latest post: “My Christmas Laundry List”, talked about the things he’d like to have this coming holidays.  I’m more pre-occupied on what I could give my loved ones and I haven’t really thought about what I want for Christmas, but Huz surprised me once again with an advance Christmas gift he knew I wanted but couldn’t have before…my very own karaoke machine!

I have always wanted the Magic Sing (roughly 200USD) which has about 8000+ songs, but this baby has 30,000 songs! for just P5000 (roughly around 100USD). Compared to the Magic Sing which has a lot of Korean and Chinese Songs, the song list in my karaoke machine also includes songs in English and the local dialect: Visayan, Tagalog and Ilocano songs as well.

Huz said he Googled it and found this link from The Midnight Oil who recommended this karaoke machine. I am just so chuffed about it! I love it because I know we will have a blast at our family reunion this Christmas. And I bet this also gets me plus points with the in-laws, when we bring it over to visit them

While I’m writing this post, Huz and Gabby is singing “Narda” by Kamikazee a local rock band here in the Phil. And Jaycee, my darling nephew is doing his jumping dance.  It’s a wonder how I’m still able to get any work done with this crazy bunch