Thanks @itravelrox for inviting me to the #rememberseptember contest of hivePH. I chose to answer the question below:
What's the one thing you always look forward to in September?
Siguro naman meron kang palaging hinahanap-hanap tuwing September.
Is it the Christmas countdown? Birthdays? Siya? Or maybe something else?
What is your favorite memory from a past September?
Gusto namin malaman kung anong nangyari sa past Septembers niyo. Share niyo naman!
Actually, my answer somehow merges these two questions into one answer. Just a few days ago, our family went to the mall as we usually do (the little person's ballet school is near the mall, so...) I found a photo op section in the mall that counts down the days before Christmas. Back in the day, I would be very much hyped about this. Why, this is my favorite season. For so many different reasons. The first one being it's the coincides with my late father's birthday. Back then, we would celebrate as a whole family, all our issues put aside, to celebrate our patriarch's day. It's a special day because of his birthday.
My excitement of receiving gifts on Christmas changed into feeling excited to wrap gifts when I became an employee. I have always been amazed with the people in the gift wrapping sections in malls, I have their skills in mind while wrapping the gifts. Of course, I love the idea of giving gifts, it turns out that's my love language - gift giving. If you, at a certain point became a recipient of any of my handmade gifts, know that those were made with love and I have you in my mind while I was making them.
Then, my father passed away. All of a sudden, we celebrate Christmas differently. This is going to be the third Christmas that he's not here with us. Now, everything I looked forward to as a child, as a teenager, as a grownup has changed.
Back in the day, my mother and I have made it a point that we start our Christmas celebration as early as September 1st. As early as the start of September, I can feel the spirit of Christmas in the air. It may be the cool breeze in the morning as I gather up the courage to take a bath as early as 4:30AM to get ready for school. It may also be because our teachers are also preparing our schoolrooms for the Christmas season. Yeah, we lightly decorate during halloween season but we heavily decorate the rooms for the Christmas season.
I remember every year, my father would create artistic parols that most of the time becomes the center of attraction in our adviser's room. That was during my gradeschool. I always looked forward to the designs he would create. I remember one time, he made one of recycled materials. It was an entry to contest. He won, by the way.
Before my father died, I have always looked forward to his special day. When he was still with us, I could still remember feeling like a little kid during this season. But now, all of those are just memories. I still encourage everyone in the family to celebrate, there are kids in the family, after all. It was just even more special before when Pa was still here.
Now, I just remember the feeling when I used to countdown the days before Christmas. Before, I loved listening to Jose Mari Chan's Christmas in our Hearts as soon as September starts. Now, it doesn't appeal to me anymore. Not the way Maroon 5's Memories hit my heart nowadays.
Here's to the ones that we got
Cheers to the wish you were here, but you're not
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
Of everything we've been through
Toast to the ones here today
Toast to the ones that we lost on the way
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
And the memories bring back, memories bring back you.
