the 12 ways of christmas (part 3)

And now for the third and final installment of our 12 Ways of Christmas entry. May these stories help make your holidays extra merry and bright...

#9 make merry with music One December many moons ago, some friends and I were goofing around and singing. We realized we actually sounded pretty good and came up with the brilliant idea of knocking on the neighbors' doors to see if they would let us carol, old school-style. I don't know if they were bored or if it was a more innocent time, but we were welcomed. We performed and were gratified to have given our audiences pleasure through our music. I still remember the feeling of gratitude at seeing the pleased responses, the warmth of experiencing this with dear friends, and the sheer joy of singing just because we loved to and wanted to share that love. In the last several years, Christmas caroling has become a more structured (but no less fun) endeavor. I rehearse with fellow theater performers and our engagements are booked in advance. My nearly-four-year-old son occasionally watches these rehearsals  and I am more than thrilled that he shares my love of music. Just last week, I cheered him on at his preschool's Christmas program where he sang out with gusto! Whether in a more formal setting or otherwise, music will always be a special and important part of my Christmas. – Teenee Chan

#10 welcome the Christ Child One of my family’s favorite traditions is actually an Advent tradition that helps us prepare for Christmas. It’s called The Jesse Tree Devotion. We love how this activity focuses on the true gift of togetherness, the gift of His word, the gift of family, and ultimately, the gift of Baby Jesus born into the world. Our whole family participates by hanging up beautiful, hand- made ornaments (from the Mano Amiga in Taguig). These ornaments represent Bible stories we read and reflect on. The Jesse Tree actually comes with a guidebook (in digital format!) and the kids love matching the images of the ornaments with the ones on the computer screen. As we pray and discuss things as a family, my husband and I get to know more about what our kids are feeling, and it’s also a great chance for us to teach them about certain values. Our kids actually scream with glee when it’s Jesse Tree time! And it's really such a golden moment when we listen to each other's answers to the reflection question of the day. Sometimes we laugh at the replies, but other times, my husband and I are simply awed and humbled by the simple truth and wisdom that comes from the mouths of babes. – Buding Aquino-Dee

#11 wax nostalgic Christmas in a non-Christian country like  Singapore can be rather commercialized and lacking in spirit. Sure they've got the season's decor in the malls, but in the heartlands where I live it’s business as usual. To feel that yuletide glow I go back—way back—to my roots. When he was alive, my father used to play old Christmas carols on the stereo. These were sung by old-timer stars like Sinatra, Crosby, Armstrong and Martin. I bumped into a "Christmas Crooners" CD some years ago, and was delighted to find these same songs in one album. Come December it’s what we play here at night (you can even hear the needle scratches from the original records they recorded). Mixed with a cool wind and the glow of twinkling lights, these tunes bring me back to those happy family reunions in the motherland. The effect is nostalgic—and to me, truly Christmassy :) – Lester Ledesma

#12 slip away While I do enjoy all the Yuletide festivities (from big bashes to the token round of ice skating), Christmas for me is also about stealing some pockets of time away from all the holiday madness. Whether it’s for a few hours or a long weekend, this quiet time is invaluable, helping me find perspective and appreciate the beauty of my surroundings. This year, before the holiday really kicked into gear, I hied off to Aruba for some yoga and relaxation. There, I had four days to reflect on the year and discover paddleboard yoga! How wonderful to experience what can only be found when you're not rushing to check one more thing off your Christmas to-do list. Then on an evening back in New York, I decided to walk home from a holiday gathering. It was snowing lightly, and late enough for the tourists to have retreated indoors. I noticed on the corner of 5th avenue and 54th street a saxophonist playing such stirring and soulful jazz music. Other than a couple rushing off, he was alone on that corner pouring his heart into his song. I don't think he even cared if anyone was listening. I stood back and watched from across the street for a good long while, grateful for that beautiful Christmas moment. – Ani Payumo

Thank you so much to Naynay, JJ, Michi, Dana, Cay, Mia, Chinggay, Garch, Teenee, Buding, Lester, and Ani for helping us make our three-part holiday entry truly special. If there's something we were more than happy to confirm, it's that there is no one way to celebrate the season. And it really all comes down to what brings the most joy and grace into the lives of you and your loved ones.

From our hearts to yours, Merry Christmas!!!

tata & anna

To view Parts 1 and 2 click here:

http://thegrosgrainribbon.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-12-ways-of-christmas-part-1.html

http://thegrosgrainribbon.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-12-ways-of-christmas-part-2.html

the 12 ways of christmas (part 2)

It's beginning to look a whole lot more like Christmas! Here's hoping these snippets will help you feel it a whole lot more, too. In other words, here's, Part 2 of our 12 Ways of Christmas entry...

#5 give special presents I’ve always loved giving gifts. Whether it was the local chocolate I'd get my mom from our neighborhood grocery store on Mother's Day, or the pair of Kashieca shoes my sister really wanted when I was in high school, I'd try to see what would make people happy, then go to great lengths to come up with a way (not to mention the money needed) to surprise them with it. These days with my company Great Ideas, I get to exercise so much more creativity in gift giving since I work with so many talented suppliers. One of this year's discoveries was engraving images onto inexpensive palo china wood (my first foray with it was a tote for a beach party). My kids have also become my little helpers in this exciting new stage in my life.  It brings me so much joy and I feel Christmas even more when I see them participating in my love of thoughtful gift giving. – Cay R. Araneta

#6 play up the mood It's the little, personal rituals I've created over  the years that make me feel the Christmas spirit. I love to listen to She & Him's Christmas album while wrapping my gifts early in December. There's nothing like seeing a bunch of boxes wrapped with pretty bows and tags to get me into the gift-giving mood! I also line up the movies come Christmas time. The days leading up to the 25th are never complete without a dose of "The Holiday," "Serendipity," and of course, "Love Actually." Christmas Eve and Christmas day itself are full of the usual family parties and traditions—it's funny how, as a kid, I always looked forward to opening gifts, but now that I've gotten older, I get my kicks from the yearly spread! I try not to binge at the buffet to make room for some rich, hot chocolate paired with Cunanan ensaymada. And for after-hours festivities, I take up an extra piece and an extra cup up to my room so I can enjoy one last warm fuzzy hurrah while listening to Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas" while looking at my pile of unwrapped presents ;). – Chinggay Labrador

#7 create christmas moments To take the focus away from gifts and materialism, my husband and I try our darnedest to make the holidays a time for special family traditions. To start with, there’s our nativity set—which is actually a playmobil—so our son and daughter are in charge of setting it up. Then we make it a point to put the tree up together.  Ours isn’t glam, but it’s filled with decorations that are meaningful to our family. Old favorite toys turn into décor, and every year, I have the kids paint an ornament. When they’re done, I write their name and the year on it. It’s really nice to look back and see how far they’ve come. We also hang photos of all our family members. I think this reminds my kids that Christmas is really about spending the season with our nearest and dearest. My kids love what we call the 12 Gifts of Christmas, which starts on December 12. The presents are usually super small (things they need like books, socks, or their favorite shampoo) but their simplicity doesn’t seem to dampen their spirits. For them, it’s really all about the anticipation, excitement, and appreciation that comes with the tradition. And last but not the least, we visit the animated display in Greenhills every year. This reminds me of my growing up years when my family would trek to C.O.D. to watch something similar. It’s almost like passing down the memories from one generation to the next.  – Mia Fausto Cruz

#8 change perspective Maybe it’s age, but as one gets older big, glitzy and expensive gifts matter less and less—though I’d never refuse a Deuter Futura Pro 34, a week-long stay in Villa del Balbianello on Lake Como, an Omega 2500 Caliber and a lesson on how to make the perfect martini. I’ve come to realize that Christmas is so much more than just a date. Corny as it may sound, it is a state of mind—and not about buying this year's gifts with next year’s money. 
– Mariano Garchitorena

Cheers!

tata & anna

To view Parts 1 and 3 click here:
http://thegrosgrainribbon.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-12-ways-of-christmas-part-1.html
http://thegrosgrainribbon.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-12-ways-of-christmas-part-3.html