It’s that time of the year again when the air is cool (making me sick most of the time), annoying Christmas songs are played everywhere, Christmas decors are sold everywhere, and the entire town is decked in red, green, silver, gold, and bright lights. It’s already December 14, less than two weeks before Christmas, and I have yet to really feel the Christmas spirit. Prolly because I’m too engrossed in work, emo-ness, and other grown-up things.

When I was a kid, as early as November or sometimes even October I would already feel giddy and excited for Christmas to arrive. Mommy, my aunt, would make her own Christmas decors such as wreaths, felt poinsettia flowers, and garlands. Me and my cousins would spend an entire day decorating the entire house, especially the gaudy plastic Christmas tree which was the only kind of Christmas tree back then. Sometimes, after dinner, we would stay beneath the Christmas tree and just listen to Christmas songs. Back then, there was no cable TV to take up our time.

And of course, our favorite task for the season would be making our wishlists for Santa Claus. Mommy would then collect our lists, and leave it in the office where Santa would pick it up. Riiiight! Haha! And on Christmas eve or morning, we would search the house for those gifts that “Santa” hid. I remember asking for a Marshmallow Man toy, which I got. YEY! I was a girly-girl back then, but I did like the Ghostbusters and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

One Christmas morning, we found our presents from Santa under the Christmas tree. I asked Mommy where my bicycle was, she said and I quote, “Malaki raw, di kasya sa sleigh ni Santa” (It was too big, it didn’t fit in Santa’s sleigh). And I totally believed her. HAHA!

I think I was about 6 or 7 years old when my older cousins, showed me and my younger cousins where “Santa’s gifts” were hidden waaay before Christmas eve. It was not as earth-shattering for me as it was to other kids.

Although I’ve had many other Christmas memories, these are the ones that really stand out for me. These were times when I didn’t know what problems were, when things were simple, and life was easy. Moments like these are rare in my life, so I treasure them very much. This Christmas, while I wished for some other things, it is my greatest wish to have more memories such as these.

I noticed that there are sites that allows you to turn photos into cool Christmas gifts. I wonder if this will click.