HO! HO! HO! The merriest time of the year has arrived. So take a seat and sip your hot cocoa because Christmas Eve is fast approaching. The most awaited feast of the month is not just about the food or discovering new recipes for the holiday season; it is a time when families celebrate with their loved ones, with a twist of their tradition!
As a break from work and a prize for each job completed, the Bedan community eagerly rejoices with their loved ones. Let’s discover how the Bedan professors and staff commemorate Christmas with a feast.
Opening of gifts
There are many traditional ways to celebrate Christmas, and opening gifts made it to the top! Beyond the gift itself, gift-giving during the Christmas holidays is always special. One way to look at it is that the skills one receives during Christmas are fleeting, a material object subject to the whims of time. However, the intent of why one would give this gift, in particular, holds all the thoughtfulness that culminates gratification and love that is etched into the minds of each family, friend, and loved one.
Prof. Marvin Reyes, Ph.D, the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Prefect of Student Activities shared that “Honestly, parang hinuhuli ko pa ‘yung sarili ko in giving myself a gift. If I already have a gift for my family, my friends, my colleagues here, tsaka lang ako bibili for myself,”
Sr. Nathanael Flores, OSB of the Campus Ministry Office (CMO) likewise looks forward to their gift-giving and exchanging gifts with her community of sisters. “We have Jesulein—a gift from little Jesus, where we write the gift we hope to receive,” she shared.
Bedan Institutional Christmas Music Video
The Bedan institutional Christmas Music Video also stands out as one of the most memorable celebrations of the community! It brings together Bedan students, teachers, and administrators from several departments anc colleges to participate and to sing along. Dr. Reyes shared that it has been going on since 2015 and will continue to be a part of the Bedan Christmas celebration for as long as possible.
Family Christmas practice
Christmas can be observed in unique ways, and some of these can be rooted in family traditions of ages past. Thus, others have some variance in how it is celebrated. Asst. Prof. Greg G. Borja III, M.B.A., mentioned how his family always decides on their Christmas outfit. “This year, we will be wearing the colors red, green, or pink. It’s either a color or a specific preferred attire,” he supposed. Many Filipino families also practice this custom of color-coding outfits. It is intended to be something extra for families to look forward to, that fashion shows depict close-knit, united Filipino families.
Simbang Gabi/Misa de Aguinaldo
Sr. Nathanael also looks forward to the nine-day novena during this Christmas season. “It reminds me of my childhood days when together with my family, we wake up very early to be there, together at mass, and singing Christmas carols afterward, masayang alaala,” she reminisced. She also shared that midnight masses on the 24th of December and before New Year’s celebration stand out to her because she enjoys celebrating the faith community even in the dark, especially when the sun is about to rise.
Taste of Lent
Christmas is a season of giving. Sr. Nathanael propounded that it is the season of generosity wherein it is during Christmas time that we remember that we have been gifted with Jesus, the perfect sacrament of God. She shared that her religious community practices this “Taste of Lent” during the season, encouraging them to sacrifice what they have. “Para mayroon kaming maibigay sa mga nangangailangan, mayroon kaming kartong malaki sa convent namin na lalagyan namin para sa mga iaalay namin,” she revealed.
Much-awaited Noche Buena
Among the customs that our Bedan instructors find particularly noteworthy is Noche Buena, usually observed the night before Christmas. One of the best things in the world is to spend a night dining with our respective family and loved ones. But Dr. Reyes and his family celebrate the Noche Buena differently, as instead of celebrating it on the night before Christmas, they celebrate at lunchtime on the day of Christmas itself.
Noche Buena Food Feast
Of course, a food feast is a yes during times like this! When asked what food makes it to the list, Dr. Reyes bets the lechon, a whole pig roasted over a fire on a spit, is considered a staple of Filipino celebrations. Some even consider it the national dish of the Philippines, subsequently replaced by adobo. Alongside Dr. Reyes’ favorites were lumpia of all kinds, such as sariwa, hubad, and ubod; along with Kare-kare—a Filipino stew that features peanut sauce and various cuts of meat such as beef tripe and pork hocks. But nothing beats his number one, the chicken cooked in ketchup, their family specialty.
On the other hand, Assoc. Prof Rowena Rivero shared that, like any other, her family’s Noche Buena can consist of different types of food, but her pasta is irreplaceable. “We tried buying pasta before, but my kids didn’t enjoy it, so I made sure that my pasta was present on our Christmas table,” she affirmed.
For others, they prepare traditional Filipino cuisines such as bibingka, puto bumbong, and fruit salad. Take Asst. Prof. Dennis Mangubat, for example. He shared that other than those mentioned, he cooks his paella differently. “I often prepare paella, a flavorful rice dish, during the holidays. I prepare paella differently by using traditional Spanish ingredients like saffron and chorizo. I prepare this special dish during Christmas because paella brings a taste of Spain to our festive celebrations,”
Aside from Filipino dishes, there are different types of non-native salads, pasta, and desserts. Those that stand out in particular to Prof. Borja are the green salad, also known as the Waldorf Salad, which comprises of fruits and nuts, dressed in mayonnaise and served on a bed of lettuce; oil-based pasta, specifically angel-hair or capellini; wine and sheep-aged cheese as followed up after dinner.
But a Christmas meal wouldn’t be complete without dessert. Hence. for Prof. Borja, his mother prepared a blueberry cheesecake, a family specialty. As per Sr. Nathanael, fruitcake, which includes glazed fruits with different nuts and brandy, is her favorite. It’s a tradition passed on to them by their congregation.
Christmas is indeed delightful with Noche Buena– filled with brim food, to the point that one can question, when can we consume all these? Here comes the power of reheat.
Truly, a Christmas is defined by many things, which would beg the question: what event makes Christmas merry? Some may say that it is the gift-giving and receiving; while others proposed that it could be the delicious food accompanying the holiday banquet. Well, they are not wrong. The commonality shared between all these is the presence and love of other people, especially our family, significant other, and friends.
As Prof. Borja emphasized, “If your loved ones are there with you during Christmas, nothing beats. Even though you prepare the most lavish food and expensive gifts, if your loved ones are not there, malungkot talaga.”
Christmas is all of these things, yet the one thing that is inalienable in all of these events is the element of love. Akin to the charcoal that keeps the fireplace running, love is the fuel that makes even the coldest of winters warm.
(with Paolo Vital and Dianne Magallon)
Artwork by: Kathy Delos Reyes