The month of September comes in a flash. I felt like it was just yesterday when Christmas and New Year happened even though they occurred a long time ago. I can't help but think if the world is just revolving around the sun too fast. Or I am just speculating that our days don't usually last. Whatever the reasons are, I cannot do a single thing about it. All I can do is to stay on my sit, wait for days to come, and wait for the nights to pass by.
Since today is the start of a new month, "ber-months" precisely speaking, the Hive Ph community does what they usually do every month. They gave us intriguing topics to write about. Ready to challenge us and made us showcase our imaginative minds. This first week's topic is...
"What does -ber months mean to Filipinos like you?"
If you are going to ask a hundred Filipino people in your community what is the first thing that comes to their mind when it's ber-months, for sure a lot of them will say Christmas. Honestly, I will also give the same answer. Preparing and celebrating Christmas as early as September is already a part of Filipino culture. You will see that a lot of Filipino families will start putting different Christmas decorations on their houses as early as September first. You will see them preparing the Christmas tree, hanging the colorful Christmas lights, and even listening to songs related to Christmas even though the holiday is still four months away before the actual celebration.
But this time I want to elaborate on the meaning of "ber-months" to a Filipino like me. For me, ber-months are the time that reminds everyone to work hard, put much effort into our work, and fill our pockets with rattling coins and pieces of paper money.
We all know that Christmas is categorized as a day of giving. And as Filipinos, it is natural for our personality to be generous. Giving gifts is not necessary but we can't take away that from our identity. Take a look at our parents for example, when ber-months hit the calendar the first thing they will do is to work hard day and night and save money as much as they can. They are saving because they are preparing. They are preparing for the act of giving.
We usually see hams, keso-de-bola, fried chickens, lumpiang shanghai, pork barbecues, rice cakes, and even Lechon on our table every Christmas day. They are making sure that our Christmas will be memorable and extra special by doing so.
I remember what my parents told us often. When they are young they don't experience commemorating their Christmas with a bunch of foods in front of them rather they only have a whole tasty bread, a liver spread, and pancit. Enough for them to celebrate the holiday. Even though they don't have much to offer, they are still delighted because they have a complete, happy family.
Looking at my parents, they are giving their best shots for us to experience what they didn't able to experience when they are a child because they know how it feels like to be in that situation and they didn't want us also to encounter that in the future.
Gifts and presents are also a big part of Christmas day. It is a token of appreciation and a symbol of love. Even though we realized at some point as we grow up that gifts are not necessary during these events, our parents will continue saving just to give us their gifts.
When we were just a child, I love receiving cash incentives or Aguinaldo from a red envelope or toys, but now I still like it. I mean who wouldn't like to have extra money, right? From a deeper perspective, I realized that they are so giving. They still give gifts even in the simplest manner because they experienced to received none in their childhood. So now that they can, they always find a way to give to other people and children.
My parents every Christmas day also save a portion of their salary to give to their parents or siblings every reunion. Especially to those people who they know suffering in a difficult situation. Even though they all have families now, all grown-ups, not in good momentum sometimes, they still don't forget to give back and share what they can afford to share.
Ber-months is the start of giving, it is also the starting point of saving. For us to save, we should exert much more effort in what we do and be hard-working. It may be a different concept of ber-months but it is the reality. The strong desire of people to be good providers to the family will be a natural responsibility.