Saturday, January 03, 2015

Holidays, Holy Days, Crazy Days: Part 1

We're at the tail end of the holidays. Everything is winding down. Nabuksan na ang mga gifts. Napagtaguan na ang mga inaanak. Naubos ko na LAHAT ng chocolates.

I don't know what is it about the Christmas season that makes me crazy for it yet turns me literally crazy as it approaches. Case in point:



Yes, dear readers. That happened. Not the first time, actually. This time I realized it while hurriedly walking. I briefly looked down and saw my right foot wearing my patent pink flat, fully knowing I was wearing my floral one on my left. I shrieked a little, making Sharkteeth jump. Hahahaha! Good thing we were going to the grocery. When I asked the nice saleslady for some flipflops, she ushered me to the rack displaying Fitflops™ -- jowsko naman, pinakamura ay 1.8K, kasya nang pang-Noche Buena yun! I repeated myself, "Miss, flipflops, thongs, yung de-ipit." Understanding dawned, and with that she relegated me to the back of the grocery, and there I found flipflops. Flipflops, fifty pesos. Being saved from embarrassment, priceless.

I was so stressed last December because I took a brief time off work to attend my high school reunion. It's a kwento worthy of its own post pero I don't want to anymore. May mga nega parts kasi, and you know, new year, new beginnings, iwas nega. Suffice it to say, avoid nega people. Kung kelangang mag-deactivate ng Facebook, do so.

After I came back from the reunion, I got a bit under the weather and wasn't able to work for a few more days. Must be from all the late nights, bad (yet oh so delicious) food, and sleeping on the cold airport floor. So piled up na naman ang work-work, home-work, and Christmas-work ko. 

 

These were just about a third of all the gifts I wrapped for Christmas. Token ni S sa classmates nya. May dagdag na gifts pa for her close friends. Meron pa sa teachers. Saka for TheHusband's officemates and friends. For nephews and nieces. It was endless. There, let me see, 35 for her classmates, 12 for her friends, 7 for her teachers, 25 for TheHusband's officemates, and 7 for TheHusband's nephews and nieces. For my friends, family, and relatives, wala nang balot-balot. Yung ibang gifts, I brought with me when I flew to Manila. I thought baka pabuksan pa sa akin sa airport, masira lang ang balot. Paper bag na lang. Yung iba, I shipped. Up to the last minute, nag-si-ship pa ako. P for procrastination.
 

December 24 na when I was finally able to clean up the house and set up the decor. Yes, December 24. Nakahabol pa. I fought valiantly! Hahahaha! For the longest time, ang daming kalat sa living room. I was able to breathe a sigh of relief nung medyo maayos na ang living room.


Thank you again, Sheryl! So lovely.


One of my favorites
This is our white Christmas tree's swan song. Some parts developed rust and I covered them up with fake snow. It looked great at first, but the fake snow aggravated the rust and now it has creamy patches. Bye-bye, Christmas tree. You'll be missed.



I got inspired by Leah's roast chicken and made one for Christmas eve. But instead of Italian sausage, I used Hungarian sausage. #Rebel. Hahahaha! Seriously, I just used what I found in the ref. Cheddar and quezo de bola? Sure, why not?! Various unidentifiable leaves and herbs? Join in! The more, the merrier. Before cooking, I soaked the chicken sa milk to keep it juicy. I wasn't able to add yogurt sa stuffing kasi S made a bowl of fruit salad and added the yogurt by mistake. It turned up yummy and golden. Sayang, walang picture, kasi we were so hungry na.

With the exception of our gifts to each other and to Sharkteeth, most of the gifts had been opened na before Christmas eve. Alam nyo naman, low EQ. So many gifts! And talagang pinag-isipan. I don't deserve my friends, sa totoo lang. They are all so very nice and thoughtful. Thank you all so much.


My gift to myself

Come Christmas day, may sore eyes si Sam. Then the following day, si TheHusband naman and ako. The gift of Christmas. Falalalalalalalala! 


12 comments :

  1. So many things I want to react to, but are flipflops called "smagol" also in Dumaguete? they are, in Negros.

    The sore eyes: okay na kayong lahat? I hope so.

    You wrapped so many gifts and so neatly. May ribbons pa and large gift tags. Sipag. galing.

    Hope the year ahead will be a happier and healthier one for us all.

    The chicken turned out well with the hodgepodge of ingredients. Did you take note so you can do a reprise?

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  2. Not sure about the flipflops. Baka kaya sa FitFlops nya ako dinala.
    Yes, okay na kami. Ako ang least hit ng sore eyes, di masyadong namula and isang eye lang. Although masakit ang eye socket. Not quite the sore eyes I was expecting. TheHusband ang worst hit. Ang tagal and both eyes nya talaga ang namula.
    Cute yung pagkabalot ko sa gifts ni D. I made faux monogram seals that I sprayed with gold paint. Yun ang pinaka-stressful balutan kasi walang boxes na mabili. We had to improvise. Teka, nabalutan ko ba gift ko for you or paperbag na lang? LOL! Everything was a blur.
    Re chicken, no. Hays. Iyan lagi sinasabi ni D sa akin. Ang hilig kong mag-imbento hindi ko naman nililista, so ang hirap ma-recreate.

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  3. Happy New Year, Ms. E! Kakamustahin ko na talaga ang roasted chicken mo eh, baka kako di mo nagustuhan (feeling ako may-ari ng recipe haha!). I'm glad you and your family liked it. Kung may natirang stuffing, you may want to try this easy recipe I came up with using tasty bread and a muffin pan. Check it out sa blog =)

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  4. Everybody loved it, even picky S. May natirang stuffing. I baked it as well -- I added bread crumbs and cheese on top. Unfortunately, nakalimutan ko sa loob ng oven. Napanis. Sayang. Will try your muffin-style recipe next time.

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  5. Anonymous11:28 PM

    Naku, I want to hear the reunion kwento. Bad, bad. Haha. I also WANT the Philosophy loot! Happy New Year!

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  6. LOL! Gardenraider, huwag na. Didilim lang ang aura ko. Tama na itong kagandahan ko ngayon. LOL!

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  7. OMG, ang daming regalo nyan! Iniisip ko pa lang ang pagbabalot, napapagod na ako. Hehe. In the end, pasalamat na lang talaga sa Diyos we are blessed and we get to share our blessings with other people. Yun naman daw ang essence of Christmas -- loving and sharing.

    P.S. Pareho namang cute yung shoes, di halata masyado. Parang style lang. Naexperience ko na maglakad papunta opis na nakatsinelas, buti naharang ako ng guard bago pa ako makalabas ng gate. Hahahaha. :)

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  8. Laking pasalamat ko nga nung tinulungang ako ng asawa ko na gumawa ng kahon. Otherwise, baliw-baliwan x 10^10,000,000 siguro ako.
    And yes, pasalamat na lang ako na kahit papano ay may naibibigay.

    Kaloka pag stressed tayo ano? Hahahaha!

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  9. Mother, matagal na akong na-cu-curious sa Philosophy products. Curious lang pero totally clueless ako sa mga product line nila. and I'm sure, medyo wrecking ball sa wallet din ba yan? hihihi educate me haha

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  10. Try mo! May branch sila sa Megamall. Very helpful ang mga SAs dun, may free facial pa. I like their skin-care products kasi they really work. Pero ang favorite ko talaga dun ay yung scents. Fresh kasi ang amoy. Parang bagong paligo lang. Yung price, yes, medyo mahal, pero when you consider ang price per use, justifiable. Pero lahat naman eh justifiable. LOL! Last April, bumili ako ng body wash, and ang daming freebies na foundation, cleanser, scrubs, etc. Eto kasing coffret pinabili ko sa SG, so walang freebies. Try mo na. Ay, di ba magti-tipid mode tayo?

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    Replies
    1. Haha I might try the perfume (might daw oh? lakas magpanggap hahaha)

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    2. Try mo muna, huwag ka muna bumili.

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