'Twas two nights before Christmas, when all through the house, all the creatures are stirring, I think even the mouse.

Tomorrow will be the much awaited Noche Buena. In our place, tonight will be the last day of Simbang Gabi (we started on the 15th at 7 pm). I failed to complete it and only managed two out of nine (considering that the chapel is only a few blocks and a few turns from our house). It's cold here in Antipolo, particularly in the place we live in. Today it was also raining a bit.

So what will be our Noche Buena feast tomorrow? Simple. Chicken sopas for the soul, a box of Ube cake, my sister's salad (up to now she's still hasn't decided whether it's buko salad, fruit or macaroni). We received three boxes of hams (which really tasted like meat loaves). On the 25th, it will be a simple lunch of inihaw and sabaw. There'll be a few visitors I know. Relatives who've learned of my vacation and so will be in queue for Dove soap, Dove shampoo and Dove lotion.

This Christmas will be different from last year because we only had a few gifts 'neath the Christmas tree. Since my sister lost her job, she cut down her shopping expenses to the barest essential (I saw that there was still one gift for me; there used to be at least two).

I also didn't buy much gifts this Christmas. For a few friends and for my mother, I bought booklets of 'Our Daily Bread' and 'Didache'. For my father, a planner. For my two nieces, hats.

Surprisingly too, I didn't see much Christmas lights around our area. Houses are lit minimally (must be the rising electric bills). Carolers too are not that a-plenty.

Hey, the first Christmas didn't happen in a first class hospital! It was in a manger! So let's not lose track of whose birthday we are celebrating on the 25th!

Things have changed but not the Christmas spirit. My nieces are still excited about opening up their presents (although I know they've already peeked inside), my sister is still excited about her salad, relatives will come and visit and stories, new and old, will be told with gusto over a simple lunch.