Build Your Own Traditions This Christmas

By: Lou Maningas Cabalona

 

“Let’s have ramen night!” One winter night over a year ago, after rehearsals for a Musical, our small cast of friends was hungry and decided we all wanted ramen. Baron and I knew exactly the perfect spot! It was over three miles away – far, by Chicago driving standards — but we knew it was the best place to satisfy our craving.

Our favorite ramen place did not fail! As a matter of fact, because we got a thumbs-up on our favorite Mac and Cheese pizza recommendation, it solidified our (and the group’s) reputation as purveyors of good eating spots. We wanted to hang out so we decided to check out good spots together. We wanted to explore good eating spots so we hung out on “ramen nights.” It has now become a tradition among us friends — actual ramen noodles, optional. All over the world, Christmastime has always been a time for sharing and reliving traditions among families and friends.

CHRISTMAS DAY GAMES, SYLC CHOIR AND CHRISTMAS EVE IN THE KITCHEN

I remember always looking forward to the Christmas Day “Palaro” (games) that my Tito (Uncle) Junior, the eldest among my mom’s siblings, organized. It was a whole day affair with food and games held in the compound where my grandparents, their children, and us, cousins lived.

Everyone had a chance to win a gift or cash prize with Palo Sebo (greasy pole), Pukpok-Palayok (Hit the Claypot), Sack Race, Newspaper Dance, Coke Drinking Contest (this is trickier than you think), Itlog- Talong Game (translated literally as egg and eggplant game where the objective is to push a raw egg to the finish line using an eggplant hanging on your waist using a string!) and many more. In between, Uncle also invited the kids to showcase their talent. I can’t recall if I braved singing every year to get prizes but I have some memory of being on the “stage” one or two times. What I remember though is that my uncle’s palaro, year after year, brought many laughter and good memories among our family, relatives and even neighbors!

During our high school years, I remember my sister Leigh and me, singing at Simbang Gabi novena masses with the Sta. Lucia Youth Choir or SLYC (appropriately pronounced slick”). We were more than just a Sunday mass choir, too. Led by the Tejada Family, we helped decorate the church for Christmas. We went caroling around the neighborhood to help provide a Christmas meal to poorer families in the neighborhood. But most of all, we were really good friends that liked serving together in Church every week of the year and even more so during Christmas.

Of course, the highlight of the season was always Christmas eve/day celebration! Like most, our family always attended the late night mass. We’d have Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) dinner as soon as we got home and all the kids watched out for midnight, the awaited official signal to open gifts.

Looking back now, what I remember the most is not what present I got but the times I spent around the kitchen helping my mom and Yaya Doring, our nanny, prepare the fruit salad, Pineapple Glazed Ham, Cheesy Garlic Baked Tahong (mussels) and Stuffed Chicken Embotido later for dinner.

I even recall being in charge of the Noche Buena menu a couple of years around the time I was in college. The first year, I decided to have an all-seafood menu and in the following, an all-Japanese menu. I still vividly and fondly remember teaching my siblings Anchet, who is 6 years younger and J-rick, who is plus two more younger, how to roll my special Maki filled with Tinapang Bangus (smoked milkfish), tomatoes, eggplant and itlog na pula (salted egg) but somehow half regretting assigning them the task because they would eat half of what they made. Leigh was there, too, possibly making the yakisoba noodles while our mom had a free day!

PRESERVING OLD TRADITIONS AND CREATING NEW ONES

Now, many years after and living thousands of miles away from my old home, I am thankful that I am still blessed with the opportunity to continue building traditions with my family and friends over here. For the past 7 years now, Baron and I have been celebrating Simbang Gabi in December with our friends from the St. Joan of Arc Filipino Choir. Interestingly, only a handful of the choir is really from the Parish but we all go and meet every quarter to sing at their Filipino mass! We all come together because we want to hang out with friends, eat, sing and play together whether it is for choir practice or someone’s birthday or wedding, or for no occasion at all.

Much like my SLYC family, we also have our SJA family here. Also about seven years ago, we got invited by another group of good folks we consider family, the PACF Performing Arts Group to perform at the Museum of Science and Industry for Christmas around the World. We felt it was important for our band SamaSama Project to showcase Filipino carols during the holidays as part of the band’s objective of promoting Filipino culture through music so we’ve happily made it part of our holiday schedule.

Last year, we wanted a bigger group of Filipino Americans of all ages joining us in our little tradition. So, we asked some of our students, their cousins and friends, their parents, and our friends to sing Filipino-caroling-style for MSI, all for fun! And, it was a success! On top of MSI performances, the group we eventually coined SamaSama Family choir was featured at the FilAm Now TV show on GMA and this year at the Seafood City Christmas show.

Just like my Tito Junior’s palaro, we had our students showcase their talent on stage; And, most importantly, one, it became a way for us to teach Filipino language and customs to our young 2nd generation members; And two, we hope to have started a yearly happening that our family and our friends’ families look forward to. We do not have kids yet. But when we do, they will be part of all of this.

During Christmas or maybe another occasion, we will be playing Filipino games. We will be singing Filipino songs. They will learn how to make Cheesy Garclic Baked Mussels just like my mom taught me and we will roll our Smoked Milkfish and Salted egg Maki together for Noche Buena.

I hope you and your loved ones create unforgettable memories and build precious family traditions this holiday season!##

Ramen Night with (clockwise from bottom left) Baron and Louella, Allen and Rosemarie Tom, Ellen Delarosa and James Hamblet (Not in picture are Abegail Rodriguez and Andy Gaston).

Ramen Night with (clockwise from bottom left) Baron and Louella, Allen and Rosemarie Tom, Ellen Delarosa and James Hamblet (Not in picture are Abegail Rodriguez and Andy Gaston).

The original members of SamaSama Project at the Christmas Around the World in 2008 (clock wise from top left) Baron Cabalona, Daven Taba, Orlando Cabalona Jr., Rica Goldyn, Chica Arana and Louella Cabalona.

Louella hosting and peforming at the Carols by Candlelight event at Seafood City Chicago.

Four-year-old Jared Maranan (front center) leads the SamaSama Family Choir in singing “Sa Paskong Darating” with Jason Maranan, George Molina, Ashley Dizon, Alice Arellano, Abegail Rodriquez, Lexi Maranan, Mary Ann Espanola, Lily Kwong, Rosemarie Tom, Ella Rabor (hidden), Madison Julian, Angie Rabor, Ruben Pactol and Joshua Dizon.