Holiday Season 2025

I think the holiday season officially started for us when one of Kenneth’s college friends invited us to go on a holiday train ride.

Our whole universe was in a hot dense state…

Although it was freezing that day, I didn’t wear my winter jacket because I thought we’d be inside the train most of the time. Since it was my first time, I had no idea that before we can board the train, there would be a band performing outside first. I could still tolerate the cold despite being underdressed, but what I really couldn’t take was standing in the snow. My feet were freezing! Feeling ko talaga magkaka-frostbite na ko. I really just wanted the band to wrap up so we could get inside the train already and feel some needed warmth.

The band was called Barenaked Ladies, and though I heard of them before, I didn’t know any of their songs—until they performed The Big Bang Theory theme song! Sila pala yung kumanta nun!! That instantly became the highlight of the entire experience. We rewatched The Big Bang Theory for the nth time after this.

Holiday parties

We didn’t expect to attend three Christmas parties this year, let alone one. Last year, since busy pa kami sa aming big move, hindi nag-attend si Kenneth ng Mapua alumni Christmas party nila. There were other obvious reasons, like being shy and maybe skeptical if it was something worth going to. Pero nagbago ang ihip ng hangin at naisipan na rin nyang umattend this year. In short, just like I mentioned in Happy Things #29, we both enjoyed the party and he’s actually looking forward to join more activities from their alumni association (wow, active member).

October pa lang, Donna graciously invited us to their friends’ Christmas party. She assured us that her friend group was okay with it and that we wouldn’t be intruding, so we said yes. We met with some of them few weeks prior, so meron nang familiar faces on the day of the party—which was comforting (as a socially anxious person lalo na sa mga group setting).

They were so friendly and accommodating. So much so that they even invited us to their Christmas Eve dinner. Since wala naman kaming plans, we again, said yes.

The highlight for me was the food (dami!) and when we were playing games. We really enjoyed playing Tapple kasi naggagaguhan na kami nung pahuli haha. Nung Christmas Eve naman, nag-color game kami. Masaya pa rin kahit natalo ako ng $24 haha! Ang lakas ko kasing tumaya. Inisip ko na lang isang taya lang yun sa Blackjack hehe.

We also met new people that day, and they invited us to their New Year’s Eve gathering. Unfortunately, we already made plans that day and couldn’t go. Next time!

Christmas day

The plan was to cook our Christmas lunch, dress up the kitties in their Christmas costumes, take family photos, call our family in Winnipeg, then cap off the night by watching Stranger Things Volume 2.

The photoshoot was expectedly chaotic, but we made it through! 😅

Right after taking our Christmas photos, tumatawag ang mga taga Winnipeg. Naunahan ako. Nagbatian lang kami ng Merry Christmas, and my tito suggested that we spend Christmas with them next year. Naisip ko na talaga yun dati, so we’ll see kung kelan.

Na-disappoint kami nung gabi kasi hindi agad lumabas yung new episodes ng Stranger Things. Nagkakaproblema siguro ang Netflix sa dami ng nanonood. We ended up watching True Blood instead and caught up on the new episodes the following day.

Kenneth’s week-long holiday break

Nung week ng New Year (Dec 29 – Jan 2), walang pasok si Kenneth kasi kelangan na nyang mag-ubos ng leaves. Plano nya sanang i-carryover next year yung mga natitira nyang leaves, kaso pinapagamit na raw sa kanila agad. Since hindi kami prepared sa madami nyang off days, wala kaming maisip na gawin, kaya nagpa-book na lang kami ng mga chiro, physio, and massage appointments.

Also baked a Levain copycat of their dark chocolate peanut butter chip cookies

Saw this gem on FB Marketplace and immediately arranged a meetup with the seller 😍

May day rin na nagpunta kaming Banff to visit the mountains. Ang sarap pagmasdan ng mga bundok during the drive. Nag-brunch lang kami sa Maple Leaf (k lang) at naglakad-lakad. Buti na lang hindi extreme yung lamig that day.

Nagplano pa kami na pumunta sa outlet mall ng Friday, kaso nung mismong kaarawan na at tinanong ako ni Kenneth kung anong oras kami aalis, napaisip ako. Diba nagtitipid kami? Bakit nga ba kami pupuntang outlet? So we decided na mag-stay na lang sa bahay at manood ng Dynamite Kiss.

New Year’s Eve

Around 8AM, tumawag ang Mama kasi one hour na lang, New Year na sa Pinas. Sa Abadilla family, mas big deal ang New Year. Wala kaming Noche Buena. Tinutulugan lang namin ang Christmas Eve. Pero pagdating ng New Year’s Eve, dito abalang-abala ang Mama at Papa. Laging masarap ang pagkain namin. Takam na takam ako nung pinapakita sakin ng Mama yung food nila. Kahit nung pareho na kaming may asawa ng Kuya, sa bahay pa rin kami nag-spend ng New Year, kaya lagi pa rin kaming kumpleto—until nag-move kami dito sa Canada (huhu).

Tumawag ulit ang Mama ng 9AM kasi New Year na dun. Nasa labas na silang lahat ng bahay para manood ng fireworks at salubungin ang Bagong Taon. Pinapanood ko lang sila sa screen habang hiyawang hiyawan ng “Happy New Year!” Few minutes after the call ended, biglang pumasok sa isip ko na walong New Years ko na pala silang hindi kasama—and as expected, naluluha ako habang nagme-message sa family group chat na miss ko na sila.

Buti na lang may New Year’s Eve plans kami ni Kenneth para ma-counter ang aking pagmumukmok. Pupunta kaming downtown para manood ng fireworks display. Pero dahil midnight pa yun, natulog muna ako para may energy ako mamaya.

2026!

Sobrang saya namin ni Kenneth panonood ng fireworks. Ang dami kong, “Wowww!” at “Woooh!!” Gusto ko ulit manood next year. Kelangan lang namin mas agapan pa kasi nahirapan kaming kumuha ng parking spot. Sobrang daming tao!

Pagbalik namin ng bahay, pinanood namin agad yung finale ng Stranger Things. Baka kasi ma-spoil pa kami pag pinagpabukas (or pinagpamamaya) pa namin. Buti na lang nakatulog ako ng ilang oras kanina kasi gising na gising pa ko. 4AM na kami natulog! Sabi ni Kenneth, “Mamaya Avatar naman.”

Since hindi natuloy ang aming Christmas movie tradition, we moved it ng New Year. While choosing which movie to watch, parang Avatar 3 lang yung worth it panoorin sa sinehan. Kaso ang problema, hindi namin napanood yung Avatar 1 and 2. Ang suggestion ko kay Kenneth, since madami naman kaming time during his week-long break, panoorin muna namin yung Avatar 1, at pag nagustuhan namin, i-book na namin yung Avatar 3. Naisip ko rin na for sure magugustuhan naman namin yun kasi highest-grossing film of all time pala yung Avatar. True enough, we were hooked sa world ng Pandora and we binge-watched the two, three-hour long movies.

Paglabas namin ng sinehan, ang dami naming discussions ni Kenneth about nature. Sobrang triggering everytime pinapasabog ng humans yung Pandora (I kept reminding myself that it’s just a movie). Hinayang na hinayang ako dun sa ganda nung world nila, tapos sinisira lang. Hindi man ganun ka-extreme, pero feeling ko hindi rin malabong mangyari yun dito sa Earth. Sabi ko kay Kenneth, sana hindi na lang nag-advance masyado yung technology natin para mas ma-preserve yung nature—but I guess it’s something that can’t really be stopped. Still, I am hopeful.

Avatar movies personal ranking:

3. Avatar: The Way of Water
2. Avatar
1. Avatar: Fire and Ash

Pero maganda pa rin sila lahat!