NEW YEAR, BUT NOT NEW PRACTICES

I don’t know about you guys but we sure have our family practices every New Year’s Eve. My mom told me when I was young that those things might be just superstitions to some, but it wouldn’t hurt if we try to bring in good luck. Especially as we welcome a new year.

Let me enumerate them to you as you might want to employ some :

1.       Wearing polka dots. Every year-end my mother dons a clothing spangled with dots. May it be a dress, a blouse, or a duster like the one below, Mama always wears one; and I notice it’s always red and white. It is believed that these dots symbolize wealth as they resemble coins.

Apologies for the blurry images. It was hard to keep Mama still.

 2.    Jingling coins. Mama said jiggling two dozens of a kind of coin would bring abundance in the coming year. I used to jiggle one-peso coins. Now I jiggle ten-peso coins. Maybe mom thought that since I’m a grown up now, I should use coins of higher worth.

3.       Being loud. Since using fireworks is not too big in Davao in the last decade, we don’t have them at home. Although, I heard that the firecrackers ban was lifted in our city this year. The last time I saw Papa lit a Judas’ belt was when I was twelve-ish. I kinda missed it, to be honest, however it is always wiser to use safer methods of making noise. You can blow horns (“torotot”) or rev up your cars just like what we did. I believe being loud is a way to ward off evil spirits.

4.       Having round fruits on the table. I remember Mama arguing with a friend on whether there should be twelve or thirteen, but I don’t remember which one they followed in the end. I also forgot to ask Mama about this last week. I believe the round shape of the fruits symbolizes eternity and longevity.

5.       Drinking water with roses. Mama submerges exactly three rose petals in a glass of water. Then at the stroke of midnight, each member of the household will have a drink from it. Mama said it keeps us all together and intact as a family, no matter what happens. This practice is pretty rare. Aside from our family the only other people I know who practice this is... no one.

----------------------

     Here are other pictures I took that night.

 

Tagum City Christmas tree. This was once the tallest in the country. I don't know if it still is.

I saw quite cheap but tasty chicken downtown and bought them right away

my poisons

Mama, Nanay, ang Uncle Mek-mek

Shaolan, Bryan, and Christine

Alejandro with his girlfriend

Co cousins

My entire family

My parents