2020 has been a challenging year and has been filled with more downs than ups. So far, my year has consisted of staying indoors, struggling with online classes, missing my family and friends, and long power outages due to the typhoons in the Philippines. With all that’s happened, it is easy to focus on the negatives and to forget about the good moments during this time.
But with Christmas just around the corner, I am reminded of just how lucky I am. I can appreciate the little things more, feeling blessed by being able to be around people I care about and being safe and protected from COVID-19 and the disastrous typhoons. By counting my blessings, I am reminded there are so many things I am looking forward to during this holly jolly season.
1. Sweets
If you have a big sweet tooth like me, you know that not eating sweets can be torture. The longer you go without it, the more you crave it.
Recently, for health reasons, I had to stop eating sweets, and for a short period, I was fine. However, as the weeks began to roll on, I found it harder and harder. Every day, I find myself going to the pantry just looking at the Oreos, or even going to the refrigerator, looking at the boxes of cakes and pints of ice cream, wanting to eat them. Instead, I can’t and have to opt for a healthier snack like bananas or yogurt and whole-grain cereal to satisfy my sweet tooth.
With only a few days till Christmas, I can’t wait to eat all the chocolates, cookies, and ice cream in my house, and not feel guilty whatsoever. As I countdown the days, I can just imagine myself sitting at the dining table devouring dessert after dessert, with a big smile on my face. Finally, satisfying my craving.
2. Seeing Family
Christmas is a time of giving, but it is also a time to be with family, to spend it with your loved ones. However, for most of us, this Christmas will look a little bit different due to the pandemic, but that’s okay.
If there was no COVID-19, we would be spending Christmas in Spain or with my grandparents, gathering together and maybe exchanging our Secret Santa gifts. As of now, some of my family members are trying to come over to celebrate the holidays with us. However, everything is all up in the air, making us wonder if they would be able to come.
Nevertheless, whether we see them through Zoom or in-person, being able to see them is a blessing in itself. In the end, the most important thing is that we are still able to celebrate with them. This year, more than ever, seeing my family would help to boost my spirits. For a moment, I would be able to feel a sense of normalcy from hearing the laughter and voices of my family, to my sister and mom dancing to Christmas songs. In a dark time, my family can bring light into our home, relieving everyone of the stress by just living in the moment and enjoying being in each other’s presence. All of us bringing joy and hope, something we all need right now.
3. Noche Buena
There’s nothing like going to the pantry and having a midnight snack, but what’s better is having a full meal at midnight, during the holiday season in the Philippines we call this Noche Buena. Every year, when the clock strikes twelve, to celebrate the festive season, my parents pop open a bottle of wine or champagne, and a platter of ham, cheese, and bread is brought out for us to gorge on.
When we are at the dinner table together, in the background we hear music playing that is sometimes drowned out by people talking or laughing at stories, as we are stuffing ourselves with food. In my house, Noche Buena is when we all come alive, even if we are incredibly tired after a long day, and what keeps us awake is the excitement and joy in the air, and the infectious Christmas spirit we all have. I can’t help but smile as I visualize these memories in my head.
I don’t know how Noche Buena is going to look this year, whether we are going to be a big or small bunch at the dining table. However, all I know is that nothing is going to stop me and my family from spreading some Christmas cheer around. As long as we keep that spirit alive and booming inside our home, I know that this will still be a memorable Christmas season and one that I will cherish for a long time.
4. Chilly Weather
Living in a tropical country, one of the downsides is always feeling like a melting popsicle stick wherever you go. However, whenever the holidays come around the cool breeze begins to come, and makes it feel so refreshing when it hits my face.
Compared to some people, I can experience chilly weather due to living in a higher area elevation wise. When the wind starts blowing and I can feel the chilly air blowing in my face it just puts me into a Christmas mood. It makes me excited for December to come, to put on a light jacket and not have to worry about sweating.
On top of that, sometimes, the weather makes it perfect to have a nice cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate with whipped cream, as I cozied up under a warm blanket in my bed.
5. Relaxing
There’s nothing like waking up and not having to worry about the work due the next day. With school coming to a close for the Fall, one of the things I am looking forward to is relaxing and just spending time with my family, and taking time for myself.
During the holidays, I can lounge around my house, watch TV, read, or even do nothing without having to feel guilty for being unproductive. I can distract myself, clear my mind, and embrace the downtime I have for myself. Besides this, I can pursue hobbies that I may not have time for during the school year, just embracing the moment and feeling happy, not stressing out about everything that is going on in my life.
Apart from this, this is a great time to reflect on all that has happened this entire year, the good and bad. To think about myself, how I changed, how I want to progress that growth, things I need to improve, and what I realized about myself. By setting up a plan, I can start preparing goals for myself for the upcoming year. More importantly, I can remind myself that I am doing great, that it’s okay to make mistakes, I just have to learn from them, so that I can become the person I want to be.
This year it is important to keep track and to continue to count the small blessings in our lives. We remind ourselves that we must be grateful for everything that has happened, and we can even recognize that sometimes small things can have a big impact on us. That we must never overlook the small things, and look forward to everything that is coming to us.