OVER A CUP OF STEAMING PEANUT BUTTER

Yesterday, me and my wife went out to do our shopping for this month. It is very timely because we hardly have anything in our freezer except for a bag of ice cubes. As we entered the newly designed superstore of Geant we came across the section dedicated to Christmas Decors. There were about 5 ugly looking Trees showcased on a pile of Christmas lights for the desperate holiday shoppers. Kinda ironic when you think about it… a Christmas promotion in the middle east??? You must be kidding! But to the management of the superstore, it's only commerce. Christmas sells you know.

As we walked in awe of the decors, I couldn't help but reminisce the memories of Christmas past. Those precious memories when I was still a young boy, and my dear departed relatives were still alive. I remember my grandfather would prepare his priced chicken for a year to be slaughtered before Noche Buena. My dad would make me a canon made of bamboo that I loved to play with. It made a muffled booming noise because I would stuff it with a tin can or a piece of cloth as my weapon of mass destruction. The usually dim street of Santiago would be lit up like a cabaret from the Christmas lights that neighbors put on their houses.

During Noche Buena, the kids would be lining up the buffet table and try to make the tallest sandwich for dinner. My grandfather's roasted chicken would be the competing with the ham that was given by his Chinese kumpare on the table. And after dinner he would make the traditional hot chocolate beverage that tasted more like peanut butter rather than chocolate. Those memories are so special that I could smell cup of steaming peanut butter under my noses as I walked pass the over decorated tree.

We bought Santa's hat with disco lights and a box of dancing lights for the apartment. After that I asked my wife to move on…all that holiday spirit made me home sick. This holiday, I wish that I can make our Christmas Merry and memorable for my wife…and our little baby boy (?). It surely won't be the same. But I hope next year will be different.

Happy Holidays!!!

PS: Congratulations to Gigi and Ryan for a bouncing baby boy!