Christmas is a time when kids earn quite a handful. I’m sort of grateful I’m still considered a young grandchild or a young nephew or godchild. And thank god, I didn’t have to dance boom-tarat like most younger kids to amuse the grown-ups. Don’t you find it amusing how kids have a national theme song to which grown-ups will make them dance to every Christmas season. There was the the chocolate a year or so ago, the ocho-ocho, the spaghetti, the macarena, the shalala when I was much younger. Oh god.

Christmas with the extended family is enjoyable because of the younger kids. Christmas is always fun because the joy the children are experiencing can be contagious. I may not find Christmas as magical anymore, but Christmas is still Christmas. Today I refused to allow some bad news about Virgilio Garcillano or the thought of millions of other families experiencing hunger ruin my day, I just surrendered to the joyful Christmas virus. This virus has made me go on eating and eating from morning till midnight today, it’s unhealthy already. I’m going to be reprimanded for gluttony.

Today we went to Amadeo and to Indang in Cavite for my paternal relatives. Then we also dropped by our Bulacan town later today.

This is indeed the season to be a pig. We just came home from another Christmas gathering, and I feel like some stuffed bloated teddy bear. It doesn’t feel good to realize how gluttonous one has been over Christmas. But I personally can’t help it when I’m faced with such gastronomic feasts. It doesn’t help the guilt when I think about my ‘religiosity’. I haven’t been the most pious or spiritual person the past year. In mass a while ago, as it has been for a long time, I dozed off for a few minutes. I don’t feel very Christian or Catholic anymore. I’m not sure if it’s a bad thing. In fact, I’m dreading the thought of having to attend another long mass tomorrow for Christmas eve. This is such a change from my prude Ateneo high school days. God knows how much evil and naughty stuff I’ve been up to the past year/s. In other words, Christ is missing in my Christmas. Okay, no lectures, please.

It’s just a little more than a week before I go back to the university. What things have I got left to do for the next few days?

1. Brush up on my violin and organ playing (for Film 183)
I have to get down and literally brush on my violin because our Film 183 (Music in Film) lecturer required us to learn an instrument because we will do our own musical scoring for our works. Here’s me thinking, “What?! We’re film students, not music majors!”

2. Review Spanish lessons
Exams first thing the first week of school.

3. Learn and practice editing videos
This is really shameful to admit, but I’m only learning how to edit videos with Adobe Premiere now. And I’ve been a film student for almost three years.

4. Register at Quezon City Hall to be able to vote in May
I’ve been meaning to do this last week, but I didn’t get to do it. There’s less than a week left before registration closes so I better really do it. I’m not a very big believer in our democracy and in our elections, but what the hell. It won’t do me or the country harm if I vote in May.

5. Exercise!
Gluttony is unhealthy. Better get back to being healthier.

6. Do a bit of organizing in my perennialy messy room
I never get this done, but let’s put it in my list nonetheless.

7. Rest well and enough for a new year of stress

Merry Christmas eve, everyone.