My Fun-filled Christmas with Family

Hi lovies! I hope you had a FANTABULOUS Christmas. I wanted to do a last Christmas special post, focusing on Christmas arts & crafts but unfortunately I was short on time. Work was just hectic hectic hectic! And remind me again why I should never leave Christmas shopping to the last minute! Talk about procrastination. I seriously thought I had enough time but yet just 2 days before Christmas Eve, there I was running around the mall, having a mini panic attack, and practically just grabbing whatever I could lay my hands on! On the upside, I think I burned some calories with all that running around, don’t you think? =P But hey, with that done & over with, I finally am able to somewhat relax & get some much needed Oxygen into my bloodstream properly (not that hasty breathing kind which I felt I was doing a lot of during the holiday preparations). As for the arts & crafts special, it’s not too late. After all, the holidays are not over with New Years just around the corner. Therefore, in the next post which I will be posting just right after this one, I will be giving you, my beloved readers some tips on how to glamify (yes that is a word in Mavi’s world) your New Years so stay tuned!

In the meantime, I would like to take some time and just think about this past Christmas because frankly, I am not ready to leave it behind just yet! It’s hard to believe how this year flew by so fast but I am ready to welcome 2014. Although I don’t have any resolutions for the new yr yet, I have high hopes & am optimistic about it. Okay, I will stop rambling now & I’ll share with you how I spent Christmas.

On Christmas eve, spent the day running around finishing off some shopping for a few relatives and searching for giftbags & wrapping paper. Before I go on, can I just say how ridiculous it was that I spent about 2 hrs just looking for giftbags & wrapping paper?! I never would’ve thought that stores at the mall (even Dollar Store) ran out of those! But they proved me wrong. I had to embarrassingly wrap some of the last minute presents in holiday paper tissues (the ones you put inside the giftbags to decoratively conceal the contents). Thankfully, I had a lot of those & spare ribbons at home. I just had to improvise. A few embarrassed laughs & apologies later for the horrible wrapping paper, it still turned out well. I mean we have to look at the bright side – The end result is always the same: torn up wrapping paper on the floor right? Okay, maybe this year, they’ll let it slide but next year I have to be more prepared! People of the world, that debacle serves as a lesson for us, nothing is impossible & never assume. Phew glad that was over. Moving on, after we prepared our dining table for our Christmas Eve dinner (which we call Noche Buena) we went to church at around 9 pm where we sang Christmas carols & celebrated Jesus’s coming. After, my immediate family came over, and we had late night dinner, opened our presents and didn’t sleep until 5 am (yup, that’s how we do it every year!).

                        

                                            with my cousin                                                Christmas selfie

 Christmas Day was another long, fun-filled day as well. It was spent at a relative’s house where lots of games were played, lots of laughs & stories were shared and can’t forget the abundance of food we indulged in! Remember those calories that I thought I burned during Christmas shopping? Well I think they came back with a vengeance. Oh boy. Diet? What diet? During the holidays, that word is non-existent right? Here are some pictures of that day.

 Day after Christmas while my family had a lazy day, I had work. They spent half the day in pajamas, lounged around and watched movies. In Canada every year after Christmas, there’s a day called “Boxing Day” and no I’m not talking about the sport Boxing, but it’s a sale day where people go berserk in the malls. It’s an equivalent of “Black Friday” in the United States except here, it’s held after Christmas whereas in the States, it occurs after Thanksgiving Day. God knows why it’s called “Boxing Day”. Although it doesn't refer to the sport, it might as well be since people don’t hesitate to knock each other out while reaching for those 75% off sale items before other people get to them. To say it’s a gong show is an understatement. Our family however chooses to pass it up every single year because 1. We do not have the energy to battle with die-hard boxing day fans since our Christmas day celebrations always run until dawn and 2. Parking is impossible to find. This year, instead of shopping, my family went up to the mountains in the afternoon so the kids could have a day to play in the snow since it didn’t snow here in the city at all.

 So, that is how I spent Christmas. To sum it up, it was TONS of fun, love and food. Dear Golly, there goes my diet and healthy eating out the window! Hopefully I stick to a New yrs resolution that I just created right now – going to the gym at least 3 days a week, not once a week or none at all like I’ve been doing but AT LEAST 3! Ugh, have to be more disciplined! No pain, no gain. Anyways, enough about me. What about you, people of the world? How did you spend your Christmas? I’d love to know about them =) Feel free to comment below!

Here’s a party song to welcome in the New Year & See you later Christmas!

                                                

Catch ya later lovelies! Stay tuned for my special NYE post. XOXO

Spreading the Christmas Cheer

“Sleigh bells ring, are you listenin? Down the lane, snow is glistenin..”

 Is it just me or do you hear Christmas music playing practically everywhere you go? Nonetheless, it’s December and you know what that means…Christmas is fast approaching! Only 16 days left. Phew! Where did the time go?!

The months definitely fly by especially when it’s December. I mean with all the gift-shopping that we do and holiday preparations that we make, how can it not, right?! Sometimes I wish there was at least a week between December and January where money would fall from the sky instead of snow at least for a day just so we could relax and sew the holes that we’ve created in our pockets. *SIiigh* A girl can dream. But personally though, December is my favourite month and I know a lot of you are with me on this. And there are multiple reasons why. First off, it’s not just because of the presents, but for the festive ambience this month brings. People are jovial, places seem brighter & cheerful thanks to the Christmas lights, decorations and festive music. ‘Tis the season to be jolly indeed! Second, we forget the true meaning of Christmas and its origin but it actually means to prepare for the coming of Christ. What does it mean for us? It means not only to celebrate his birth (which we’re very good at. Hello Holiday Parties!), but also to reflect on our lives and what HE has done for us the past year and what you can do in return to share the joy to other people. This leads me to my final reason, the opportunity to put a smile on someone’s face, making their holidays that much merrier! There are opportunities everywhere, all the time, to create a difference in someone’s life, even if it’s just a little bit. But remember: That tad bit may mean a lot to that person. All you have to do is open your eyes, & be attentive.  Important point: This does not necessarily involve money. There are different ways you can share the holiday spirit such as giving someone a much needed hug, getting in touch with someone you haven’t talked to, donating, etc. The important thing is you gave back and the feel-good feeling you get after is just the icing on the cake.

To tell you the truth, what I just talked about in the previous paragraph did not even occur to me before I saw this tree (refer to photo below) and I’m not kidding you, it might seem minor but it sort of changed my perspective on Christmas. Thus, my blurb – those were my realizations after this day. So what am I doing this year? I am going to be Secret Santa to a stranger.

I was at London Drugs (Canadian equivalent of Target, Ulta, etc. if I’m not mistaken) one day, hohing and humming along the attractive, well-lit aisles of their cosmetic department, grabbing random nail polishes (which I am hopelessly OBSESSED with btw, but that’s a whole different topic for a later date).  As I was waiting in the line-up to pay, this tree caught my eye. Initially, I thought these “Adopt-a-Senior” tags were just random paper ornaments that the staff crafted but when I took a closer look, I realized what it said. So I immediately grabbed one.

I thought about it for quite some time. Should I take it? Or Should I put it back? I looked at the items listed, and thought to myself, what the heck these seniors are not asking for much. Instead of wasting 30 something dollars on something completely useless, this could already make this grandma’s Christmas joyful. Now I don’t know how these charities work, but at that time, a thought dawned on me that maybe these seniors did not have a family to spend Christmas with, let alone receive presents from. At that point, I was already getting emotional because it always breaks my heart to see someone in that situation especially a senior.

 In a perfect world, I would’ve grabbed every single tag from that tree but earth to Mavi, I live in a city that has the lowest minimum wage in comparison to the rest of Canada, but yet is the most expensive place to live in. Isn’t that odd? In the end, I only took one. I am really hoping all those ornaments will be taken by people because what if they don’t? Does it mean they don’t get any presents at all? I don’t even want to dwell in that thought. Do I care too much? I don’t know but I can’t help it.

 So if you live in Canada and you happen to stop by a London Drugs store, I’m pretty sure they have these trees in every branch or at least in the Vancouver area, I encourage you to take at least one of these tags. You may find a similar one at another store and I can GUARANTEE that you will not regret it. There is no downfall to this.

Here’s how it works:

1.      Select a tag from the tree

2.      Purchase the items listed

3.   Drop it off at the Customer Service counter with the tag attached to the wrapped presents.

Simple as that! Be aware that there is a deadline. For the specific London Drugs that I took this tag from, the deadline is Dec. 16^th. These donated items will then be delivered to them between the dates of Dec. 16^th – 20^th. I can’t say the same for the other branches. If you’re interested in doing this, I suggest ask a staff member when the deadline is.

Here is the final product:

I will be delivering the package tomorrow and boy am I excited!!

 I feel buoyant, it’s that rewarding feeling you get after a good deed that makes it that much more amazing! I’m gonna try not to only do this during holiday season but to make it an integral part of my life. I just have to keep my eyes open and recognize those “opportunities”.

 As I wrap up for the day, I wish you guys a very wonderful day and joyous holiday season! 

“..A beautiful sight, we’re happy tonight. Walking in a winter wonderland.”

Ta ta for now, lovies xoxo

P.S: Feel free to comment below about how you will spend and/or spread the cheer this season, ho ho ho! I look forward to reading ‘em :)

Post Typhoon Haiyan Life Reflection: The best things in life are free..

Cliché as this may sound, it really is true that the best things in life are free. No amount of money or material things can compare to the happiness our family’s well-being can bring. Material acquisitions only give shallow, temporary happiness in comparison to seeing one’s loved ones safe, healthy and happy. What gives pure and lasting happiness are the intangible things in life. 

Living in Canada, I have become fully aware and grateful for my privileges, although I guiltily admit; I carelessly take advantage of them at times and fail to thank God as often as I should for these blessings. What kind of blessings exactly? I think most of us can agree that the most basic, simple blessings in life such as food and water are easily overlooked.  In the first-world, when we hear the word “blessings”, we often think of fame, success, good health, having good people around, etc. Don’t get me wrong, these are all blessings indeed but my point is that, basic needs such as food and water are often taken advantage of. What we forget at times is that in other less privileged areas of the world, these basic needs are not easily accessible and is a constant concern on a day to day basis. This is specially the case in Central Philippines at the moment after the world’s strongest storm reduced the city to rubbles, washing away food & water that residents have worked so hard to gather weeks before the typhoon hit. It stripped them from all they had as it favoured nobody. There, everyone was made a victim as this calamity exposed their vulnerability and has made them helpless.

Just a little background about me: Tacloban City, Philippines is my hometown and this is the area that was hit the hardest by Typhoon Haiyan. My family over there suffered greatly and continues to suffer. Hence, this is why I focused on this particular region because this life-changing event hit so close to home (literally speaking).

 I have always placed a high importance on family but apparently not enough. When Typhoon Haiyan (Philippine Name: “Yolanda”) happened on Nov 8, boy was this event a definite eye opener for me in many ways. I realized that I have taken advantage of my family, thinking that they will always be there, just one call away. I didn’t realize how important family was up to this point. What life was really about. Suddenly, I felt ashamed and guilty about how selfish I was behaving. Here I was, complaining about my computer, being picky about food when in Philippines, my family had nothing to eat. Mind you, after coming to that realization, I lost appetite for a week, feeling guilty every spoonful I took but I knew I had to take care of myself too. Before, I worried about the most unnecessary things such as what to do on the weekend, where to go, what to wear when over there, their worry was how they were going to survive without food and water, where their missing families & friends were. Can you spell selfish?

 Most of you are on the same boat when I say that there’s always a fear of the unknown, of uncertainty and this I felt first-hand.  For the first week, when I lost contact with my family there, I imagined the worst. I heard about friends & acquaintances that died; families losing loved ones to the typhoon and people who were missing; their different experiences and stories of survival; their description of the city post typhoon. My thoughts paralyzed me. My body was here but my heart & mind weren’t. Finally, the much anticipated phone call came. As my loved ones told their share of stories about how they survived, my grandma saying: “Just one more wave, and we would’ve been done.” while my cousin described the hell-hole they were in: “I stood on the rooftop and I saw nothing but black ocean for miles & miles and dead people floating”, tears streamed down my face. I couldn’t imagine the horror they went through. Nevertheless, I was glad they were alive and safe. We were blessed and I took this as a second chance for everyone to make some major re-evaluations in life. Although a new set of challenges aroused (mainly financially), this time it seemed relatively insignificant to the anxiousness I felt anticipating to hear news about them.

I must admit, before this typhoon took place, I never fully grasped the loving sacrifices that immigrants here face just to provide a good life for their families back home. I spent money superfluously (i.e., Buying things I already have, impulse buying, not considering prices). I was embarrassingly absorbed in the materialistic world. Yes, I would send money for my grandparents back home; however I perceived my help as only being supplementary but now I am starting to experience how it feels like to have someone turn to me for financial support, even for a little while. As a result, I’ve become even more motivated to work knowing that in 2 weeks I’ll be able to ease their burden and put a smile on their faces once again. I’m proud to say that I am starting to learn how to live a simple, humble life in order to provide assistance. It’s a work in progress but do I regret it? No. Not even an iota. Residing in one of the most developed countries, we are privileged but we should not let it stop there. We have the resources so let us give back in our own way, pay it forward. Don’t underestimate the help we give to the less privileged. What matters is what we do here on Earth, not the material acquisitions & worldly wealth. This is what determines our life path and the hereafter.

I am a believer in the saying “Everything happens for a reason” because these past events surely put things in perspective. It made me think about things that I normally don’t think about. My heart breaks for the people who are in this ordeal and my hometown. The memories in this place are abundant. Undoubtedly, this city will bounce back in no time, seeing how determined the local people are to making this happen however I can’t help but grieve for what once was. Somehow it won’t be the same. The place I once was so familiar with is gone. This wistfulness led me to the realization that nothing in life is constant and it was hard to accept in the beginning. I wept for days but we have to adapt and let go, let God. I learned that no matter how much planning you do, or how much control you exert over a situation, if it is not HIS will, it will not happen. I don’t know what his plans are, but whatever it is, I hope people will never lose hope & faith in him no matter how hard or how confusing the situation may get.

In closing, I would like to invite you all to think about this: If today was our last day on earth, if we were in an apocalyptic age and you’re down to your last food & water I bet everybody would act differently (and no I’m not referring to violence). The problem with this generation is we only think about the present, what’s in front of us and care too little for the future. Most importantly, we do not prepare and make it easy for future generations, our children’s generation. We do not think that they will have to suffer because of our irresponsible behaviours. While it’s not too late, let us change our mindset. All our actions are a result of the way we think. Let us protect our beautiful Earth – conserve water, power and recycle. Promote a greener living. You don’t know what you have until it’s gone but are you going to wait for that to happen? I for sure as hell won’t. To an extent, the future is determined by the actions we take now. As for family, if you put your family as a last priority, think twice. I know we are torn when it comes to this, given we live in a very fast-paced society - working 9 hr shifts or more, having 2-3 jobs. We have to keep up right? But is this really worth it? Think long & hard. Remember time is of the essence. It is something you can never get back. Let your family know as often as you can how much you love them and how important they are to you because there is no such thing as saying or showing love and appreciation too much. Nobody wants to live in regret for the things that were left unsaid or the actions that weren’t done. It’s not too late

As I end this long entry, I encourage you all to reflect on your life. Learn to appreciate, & treasure what you have while they are still present and don’t be careless. One thing we can learn from life is to celebrate the present and prepare for the future.

With that said, here’s to second chances! 

Until next time lovies xoxo