Christmas in the Philippines

It was the first time that Him Indoors went to the Philippines. Everything was new for him. The heat, the traffic, all the families and relatives and friends who were all excited to have met him at last, some customs and traditions. Especially at this time of the year – it was Christmas time! But where was the snow, the cold, the turkey, minced pies, Christmas pudding? Surely, it didn’t feel like Christmas to him, as he was swimming in the sea, as he was stuck in the traffic, as he was unbearably hot, as he was having a barbeque at a beach on Christmas Day. Children were singing Christmas carols with their homemade instruments of bamboos, smashed up tin cans held by wires. People were hearing mass at dawn. And for food, they were all Filipino food like adobo, lumpia, kesong bilog, cured ham, leche flan, suman, bibingka, puto bumbong. And on Christmas Eve, people heard mass on midnight and had their “Noche Buena” – the evening meal and that was when they exchanged gifts.

No snow, not feel right
Christmas in the Philippines
Barbeque on beach
People having fun all day
Lots of people everywhere

For: Christmas Writing Prompt #12: Favourite Christmas Memory. Also for: The Winter Wonders Link-Up Continues by Terri Webster Schrandt