Da Bes ang Pasko!

I know everybody, or maybe almost all Filipinos have already watched the Coca Cola youtube ad, Where will Happiness Strike Next: OFW Project. A friend tweeted me about it, then after a few hours, it became the talk of the town, through facebook, twitter, and even in the news.

How long have I been working abroad? 5 years. And though unlike those OFWs in the coke ad, I have been coming home every now and then for a short vacation, tears are still relentlessly gushing no matter how many times I have watched it. In those years that I have been working overseas, I have never come home for Christmas. And their longing for celebrating Christmas in the Philippines with the family and loved ones is also my longing.

Have you watched the Christmas station ID of ABS-CBN? That too, struck right to the core of my being. The family having noche buena, while a laptop sits on top of the table with a family member on skype is not new to me.

The first Christmas I spent far from my family is such a sad memory I always remember. In spite of the good food served on the table, experiencing winter for the first time, wearing nice Christmas clothes, Christmas will always be incomplete without the warmth of family and loved ones around you. How foolish of you to touch your laptop screen as if you're wanting to slot in your hand just to get hold of them during a skype conversation on Christmas day.

This year, I will be finally celebrating Christmas in the Philippines with my family. Oh how I long for this day to come.

I still remember in my younger years how much I wanted to spend Christmas eve with friends. Now that I am older, I have realized how important spending time with family is, most especially on special occasions such as this. As I type this, I could not contain the excitement I feel inside that finally, yes finally, I am blessed to be given this wild dream of spending Christmas with my family.

I have missed so many years of of eating noche buena together, of opening gifts together, of hugging and kissing, and spending time with the people I love. This year, I have a gleam in my heart, that this is going to be one of the best Christmases I will ever celebrate.

A very merry Christmas, indeed.