Now Is The Time

 Here's To 2023!

New is the year.

New are the hopes.

New is the resolution.

New are the spirits.

And new are my warm wishes just for you all.

Have a blessed, promising, and fulfilling New Year!

Happy Birthday, Jesus

Christmases Past

I didn't expect it.

That this Christmas Eve was to be the low point of my world.

An antarctic of the spirit.

It did not seem like a day to rejoice in a birth that had promised the world a new path to the Lord. I held my puppet close to my heart, thinking, You don't get to sing 'Happy Birthday, Jesus' tonight.

You see, the special music we had been rehearsing for had been pre-empted from the printed copy of the Christmas Eve service.

Despondently slumped onto my seat, I saw behind me a gray sky, as if all the world had suddenly gone black and white, with no color at all.

For a long time, I sat, watching the clouds and the stars and the white Christmas lights, all jumbled up against the wet windowpane so that after a while there was no way to tell which were the real stars and which were fake.

Even when we got word in the course of the service that we could do the offertory (though not officially announced on the printed bulletin), what difference did that make?

I was in despair. Night had fallen onto my heart.

On cue for the finale, we lit a candle as together, we and the congregation sang the reprise, Happy Birthday, Jesus. 

But why did the room stay depressingly gray?

I couldn't help being choked in tears. It was the saddest birthday song sung on a night that had seemed moonless.

Silent.

Blacker than ever.

But wait... It wasn't about me or anybody else. It was about a baby boy. The reason for the season. 

So, even now, though haunted by the memory, my heart sings.

Happy birthday, Jesus!

 

Bethlehem Marketplace

Christmases Past

It was like no landscape I'd ever seen before. I felt as if I had traveled into the city of Bethlehem.

Jesus' birthplace.

The City of David. 

It was our church's annual Christmas extravaganza where one could roam and experience the sights and sounds of a Bethlehem Marketplace, interact with people in the Bible ages, and witness a nativity scene (all with characters portrayed by congregation members).

The walls of the educational building had been converted to look like the fortified walls of an old Jewish city while the corridor and the larger rooms were now occupied by workshops and arched windows. Some of the shops were decked with brightly colored awning, separated only by paint color and awning designs.

So picturesque. Resembling a maze.

Looking in, one could see familiar faces attired to look like people in old Jerusalem.

Men were sitting cross-legged on the floor, hard at work making carved rosaries from olive wood. The women sat on low pieces of wood, their bare feet visible outside their dress. Mat baskets and large wooden bowls were on the ground.

A carpenter's shop had been constructed on a makeshift 'hillside,' the front being filled in, except the door, with cardboard 'masonry.' The door looked like it might have been made by one of Noah's carpenters, so roughly was it put together. On its ceiling were reed-stalks which sadly needed repair. 

Outside, a woman with a child astride her shoulder, her forehead and neck bright with a woven scarf, was peddling dates and olives while a miserable-looking beggar pleaded, Alms, alms for the poor.

Turning up one of the short side lanes was the 'main street' where houses extended a short way to the lane, with stairs outside. 

Some women were sitting, grinding corn. An elderly lady was polishing silverware, sometimes shushing rambling children who were spinning dreidels.

Around the corner, exposed light bulbs strung under tents lent a festive atmosphere. 

Up front was my designated place with the children, among them Eldest and Second Daughters. As spectators arrived, I would lead the children to form a double circle, hands joined together and we walked, leaped, hopped, and jumped to the tune of hava nagila. We would step aside only temporarily to give way to a Roman soldier castigating a rebel with a whip. 

The cramped space sometimes would turn positively claustrophobic with the many spectators now squeezing into it.

And then, hush.

Outside, in a stable were Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus in a manger (congregation members with the youngest born baby). Live sheep were grazing nearby.

O litlle town of Bethlehem

In thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

My Holiday, My Delight

Holiday Hoopla

Gahanna Lincoln High School: December 10, 2022

I hadn't planned on writing about yesterday's Holiday Hoopla craft show at the Gahanna High School, but the memories are just too precious to not be verbalized.

A $1 TIP

For the first time, I received a $1 tip from a young boy. With a smile on his face, when he handed me his $10 bill to pay for his little toy, he said, Keep the change. Wowie!

SHE LIKED MY BRAND?

One of the high school girls came with a camera and asked me if I had a business card. Maybe she wanted to promote my table? She said, I like your brand.

A BARGAINING SENORA: AY-YAY-YAY!

A mature Colombian lady came back. She wanted another flor keychain. Unfortunately that item was sold out. She settled for three other keychains. Wanted a discount. No puede, Senora. I did scoop candy canes to add to each of her three bags of purchases.

NO CALORIE PLATE SETS

I'd never forget the squeals of delight and gushing of two Hispanic ladies. They would point to each item on the table and say, So cute! Apparently, they were convinced that the plate sets had no calories at all (my promotion sale line) and picked up several. The sushi and ramen plate were best-sellers.

BAO IS IN!

A girl from the Gahanna high school who had come to the St. Matthew's craft sale in the past month (?) told me that she had crocheted a large bao. When I realized that bao was an in thing, I decided to crochet a smaller bao and copy her lead. She did come - and bought my bao keychain and other stuff.

STAR WARS and POKEMON

Star Wars was still popular, I realized. The Ewoks were in demand. One of the vendors came and told me, You have another Ewok? I saw someone carrying one. Yes, I had several! Even "old" BB8 who never got sold in the past was bought. Time to make more Star Wars thingies! Ditto on Pikachu, Eevie, and company.

DEMON SLAYERS, VERY CURRENT!

And yes, Nezuko and Tanjiro were a big seller! I had only one of each and am planning on making several for next time. Hopefully, they'd still be in vogue.

BONNET BABIES

I'm realizing that the best promotion for my stuff had been the kids who had bought items from me and were carrying their dollies around. Folks saw them and had come to ask for the same exact item. One lady (I think she was a vendor) said, I saw a kid clutching to her chest a little baby in a bassinet. You have some of that left? 

Yes, I did. All sold out at the end of the show.

NATIVITY SET

And yes, my farmhouse style full Nativity set was bought by one of the members of the Peace church. Another lady who came and saw it told me that she had bought a Nativity set from me at a past Creekside show.

SUNDRY BUYERS

The high school photographer came earlier to take a picture of my table. When he came back later, he said, I'm here to buy something for myself. He got a Minion and a keychain. I think he was the one who tried to help your Pa with our finicky Square card reader (turned out, as your Pa discovered later, that it was my phone that had been at fault?)

At least two women came back toward the closing of the sale to pick up three items each. They knew exactly which ones they wanted. 

A vendor to the right and left of me each bought an item, too! One wanted a mermaid that I had to search for in my box supply.

ADORABLE LITTLE CROSBY

And my most-favorite customer of all? 

Little Crosby, son of one of the teachers in charge of the show. When he saw my Nativity Set, he said, They have one of those for the waffle (raffle). As it turned out, he was the one for whom the Spiderman character was reserved in their past show in the spring. He came back again and again to either just look, get candy cane, or buy. 

I remember he got the Zombie plant eater, sleeping dog, keychain, hamburger plate, maybe another one. I gave him a Star Wars character for free (for being my Number One fan, as I had discerned from the number of times he had come by). At the end, he said, he wanted to buy one more, but it was packing time.

Best of all? I love the smiles of those who came to just look, buy, or just passed by. 

So, of course, I'd like to continue to do the shows. Always, the delight I get back is far more precious than my dollar loot.  

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

My special thanks to Jach, my partner, steady companion in all my craft endeavors, and runner. 

Also to Iris who gave me the tip on keychains (best sellers, as well), lent me her Square and who, with Ali had always given me encouraging words. 

And how about Isela and Alek who had given me tips on "in" things? (Demon Slayers, of course!) By the way, they each have asked for a cut if the characters got sold, they told me. He-he.

Singing Christmas Tree

Christmases Past

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.

 - Buddy, Elf movie

I was all ears when choir director Mang Berting made the announcement.

Our church choir was participating in the Singing Christmas Tree event that December.

A singing what?!

Never heard.

As it turned out, such a tree was actually a giant, pyramidal structure that emulated the shape of a yule tree. Its branches consisted of platforms on which singers would stand. Guard rails and banisters would be decorated with tinsel and lights.

I was excited, hoping to get a spot on one of the topmost "branches" of the tree. 

That night, high up on an upper branch with the altos, I began harmonizing with about 100 other voices.

Flooding the night air with our warbling of The First Noel, I felt like I had become part of something greater than each of us.

Making music together singing favorite carols such as Joy to the World, Carol of the Bells, and Little Drummer Boy changed us from a mere a collection of individuals into a unified choral ensemble.

And so I sang and bellowed, singing loud for all to hear.

Sing, indeed, with shoulders back, and head up 

So that song might go to the roof and beyond to the sky.

Singing and singing, 

Until life and all things living are become a song.*

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

 * Richard Llewellyn

Many Faces Of First Grandson

On Being A Teen

No longer a tween, how exciting that you're turning 13!

Has it really been that long? The milestones in life, how fast they do come.

No home decor is complete without dog hair.

From christening, to toddler fun, school, and today - a birthday that's a big deal because you are finally a teenager.

So, I thought it might be fun to review some of your many faces through the years.

Now that you’re officially a teenager, I really hope that you don’t turn into this person who never smiles, never gets out of their room...

Cheetos limit reached. Start sleep cycle.

 

Never says anything, and never wears anything other than black.

Sandy toes and a sun-kissed nose

Have fun out in the sun.

Tip for eating outside in summer: sand is delish. Avoid fruits and nuts. You are what you eat.

That awkward moment when you're in deep thought,
then realize you're staring directly at someone

Plus, I can now let you in on a secret. 

Expect plenty of drama and zits at all the wrong times.

 

 

Finally, to the coolest 13-year-old this side of the planet, a very happy birthday!

Think about it: today you have been in this world for approximately 4,745 days. 

That’s a lot of days. 

This deserves a rockin’ party!

I think sometimes when you need attention, you can wear sunglasses and people are like, 'Who is that?'

Photos taken from Ohana yearly calendar compiled by PDH. 2011-2022

May your thirteenth year in this world

 bring you some of the most memorable moments of your life!  

 

 

Karoling Tayo!

Christmases Past

The light in a child’s eyes is all it takes to make Christmas a magical time of year. - Anonymous

The only thing that I love more than summer? More than halo-halo and banana-Q on a stick?

Christmas.

That wonderful time of year when you and the weather put a sweater on. 

When you can stick your nose in the air and smell puto bumbong at Misa de Gallo.  

When on the first cold December night, Christmas lights are lit. 

I remember my heart racing, looking at how the whole neighborhood was illuminated with lights that looked like a hedge of stars over the city. A forest of foil dangly things and paper chains and large crepe-paper balls adorned the streets. Paper lanterns on window fronts glowed with an inner fire.

Beautiful.

And I knew exactly what my friends and I would say after dinner was over, Karoling tayo! (Let's go caroling!) 

Some of us had already taken a strip of parchment paper and measured it across our musical instrument of choice - a plastic comb. You hummed across it to produce a shrill, harmonica-like tune while others bellowed the words, a few of them incorrectly. 

Joy to the World, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him broom...

Ned was giving instructions, Let's go to the Anchetas first! 

Then the Araujos, Lebi piped in. 

We were in agreement. They always gave us ten centavos for our piddly singing, not the usual measly singko coin. 

We couldn't wait to finish our short round of caroling on Fountain Street to count our loot and afterward buy titina candy and marshmallows from Aling Deling's sari-sari store. 

Christmas was a charmed time in my neighborhood. It was in the air, long before it came with our resonant rendition invoking a reindeer whose image was foreign to us. 

All op da ader reindeers

Used to laugh and call him names

(Like Pinocchio).

It was a time of quivering expectancy when we sang to the stars so that even the moon could hear us and bells rang with Christmas joy.

Jingel bels!