WQ: Christmas Traditions

What are the Christmas traditions you and your family practice?

I find it hard to say what Christmas tradition we follow religiously because we have tried some variations of it over the years but some of them didn't stick. I have mentioned in my previous post Cherish the Memories, that we had quite a few traditions going.

We shall never forget the favorite Christmas tradition, Noche Buena. It is definitely a must in most, if not all, Filipino families. Everyone gathers at our house and we usually have two or three Fiesta Ham “balls” (although the ones that I find in the grocery store here are yummier), bacon, spaghetti, fried chicken, chicken salad and my grandmother’s special Humba recipe that no one else can make. We’ve added a few dishes in our repertoire however and that was my double chocolate cake (that I stopped making because I hate the mess afterwards), my infamous lasagna with white sauce (yum yum) and my special potato salad (with lots of boiled egg and bacon). When my hubby (then my BF) started spending Christmas in our house, he also added his special Balbacua to the fray and it has become a family favorite!

My grandmother was big on Christmas decors and my mom, being the ingenious shopper that she is, sent us the whole deal – the tree, decors, lights, you name it! She even included a small Christmas Village set for us to display in our living room (we used perla soap and salt to make fake snow). We used to have the Nativity Scene on display at my grandparent’s house though. We did decorate last year but I didn’t set up the Christmas Village because it was too much of a hassle to clean up.

I also mentioned that we always have fireworks by midnight. We used to have a lot but since the prices of fireworks have increased, we just keep it to a minimum. Oh, and I can’t help but add how Mommy Shine my six year old Dalmatian is scared stiff of fireworks! I remember how she cowers underneath my computer desk while I’m online shivering and now since P is stuck with her (he has spoiled her rotten), she follows him around the house whenever she hears fireworks!

We used to have the manito-manita or Secret Santa but it didn’t stick. I think it’s because the adults hate shopping and don’t like the idea of it as much as we kids did.