Today is my Lola Delang's birthday and she would've been 100-something years old. Sorry, I forget. :D I fondly remember the celebrations to be early Christmas gatherings where aunts, uncles, cousins, and neighbors would gather on the property the day before to help in preparations. The grown-ups would be busy chopping, chatting, and cooking till late in the evening while the kids run around, up and down, playing all sorts of games and laughing till they send us to bed. Then on the day itself, relatives from all over would start arriving at noon in their fancy cars with driver and maid in tow. Lola Delang would greet them, ask about whoever didn't show up, why, and the annual headcount would begin.
As much as the adults loved the company of our visiting family from all over, it was also a day I had come to dread. Kids don't have much tolerance for social gatherings because there are more adults present to admonish them, at least that's how it was for me. If you misbehaved, your parents had reinforcements and they all had authority to scold you in front of everyone. But that was minor compared to my other concern: kissing up.
I didn't particularly enjoy getting plucked from our games and cartoons para mag-mano sa mga aunts, uncles, and several lolos and lolas. Granted it was my parents' way of showing off their bunch to the old folks, I still hated being glowered at and asked the same questions. I was always polite, don't get me wrong, but it was b-o-r-i-n-g. You'd think that after the pleasantries you'd be dismissed but no! No, you stayed until they remember you're standing there and maybe hand you crisp new bill. If you left without one, you get chided for being engot or they'll try to incite envy. I guess they were afraid you won't grow up to be a savvy adult. Well, they tried. Hehe!
Another practice would be to summon all the kids and form a line for Nanay Fe's 20s. Yes, she always handed out the biggest amount. The others would usually give us 5-peso or 10-peso bills but it didn't really matter to me as long as I got free-flowing leche flan, cake, or ice cream. Anyway, Nanay Fe would always ask how old you were and what grade you were in then make comments about how you look: too fat, too skinny, too shy, too snotty, too bratty, etc. I guess you know which one was for me. :D
After this ceremony, we'd all disperse and go back to our hiding places until the guests are gone. Sometimes we would stake out the people outside from our vantage point at the second-floor window that overlooked the gathering. Our sides hurt from mimicking the way they talked and moved or from joking about who or what they looked like.
By nightfall, there would still be a handful of people but they mostly just lived in town and can catch a tricycle home. My father would still be entertaining his friends as most of them arrive in the evening anyway. Lola Delang, however, would be in bed listening to Tia Dely on AM radio until she fell asleep. As for me, it was either TV time or counting my day's wage. I may also cut a deal with my brother or sister to consolidate our funds to get this or that toy--because our parents rarely bought ME toys.
We don't have this kind of party anymore at our place. The celebrant is long gone, but not forgotten, and so have many of the guests. There are no more heads to count.
As much as the adults loved the company of our visiting family from all over, it was also a day I had come to dread. Kids don't have much tolerance for social gatherings because there are more adults present to admonish them, at least that's how it was for me. If you misbehaved, your parents had reinforcements and they all had authority to scold you in front of everyone. But that was minor compared to my other concern: kissing up.
I didn't particularly enjoy getting plucked from our games and cartoons para mag-mano sa mga aunts, uncles, and several lolos and lolas. Granted it was my parents' way of showing off their bunch to the old folks, I still hated being glowered at and asked the same questions. I was always polite, don't get me wrong, but it was b-o-r-i-n-g. You'd think that after the pleasantries you'd be dismissed but no! No, you stayed until they remember you're standing there and maybe hand you crisp new bill. If you left without one, you get chided for being engot or they'll try to incite envy. I guess they were afraid you won't grow up to be a savvy adult. Well, they tried. Hehe!
Another practice would be to summon all the kids and form a line for Nanay Fe's 20s. Yes, she always handed out the biggest amount. The others would usually give us 5-peso or 10-peso bills but it didn't really matter to me as long as I got free-flowing leche flan, cake, or ice cream. Anyway, Nanay Fe would always ask how old you were and what grade you were in then make comments about how you look: too fat, too skinny, too shy, too snotty, too bratty, etc. I guess you know which one was for me. :D
After this ceremony, we'd all disperse and go back to our hiding places until the guests are gone. Sometimes we would stake out the people outside from our vantage point at the second-floor window that overlooked the gathering. Our sides hurt from mimicking the way they talked and moved or from joking about who or what they looked like.
By nightfall, there would still be a handful of people but they mostly just lived in town and can catch a tricycle home. My father would still be entertaining his friends as most of them arrive in the evening anyway. Lola Delang, however, would be in bed listening to Tia Dely on AM radio until she fell asleep. As for me, it was either TV time or counting my day's wage. I may also cut a deal with my brother or sister to consolidate our funds to get this or that toy--because our parents rarely bought ME toys.
We don't have this kind of party anymore at our place. The celebrant is long gone, but not forgotten, and so have many of the guests. There are no more heads to count.
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