Ernie Fajardo
“Christmas should be sung! It’s Christmas carols and bells ringing, and building on traditions and starting new ones year after year.
“Three years ago, 10 ukulele-playing friends, all seniors, including myself, planned a miniconcert at our home for our families at Christmas. We practiced way before Christmas, some learning to play the uke for the first time. Every year we seem to get better. We repeat, build on our successes, and, before we know it, we have another tradition going at Christmastime.
“When my parents were still living, we spent Christmas Eve with them. Christmas lunch was always with my wife Lourdes’ family. Now Christmas Eve is celebrated in our house, with our family and the families of eight or so longtime friends. There are gifts for everybody, including the pets! The best part is, for nearly three years, our two granddaughters, ages 22 and 15, both foodies, prepare the special meal, from appetizers to desserts. Every year they surprise us. It is itself another tradition in the making.
“New Year’s we spend in Baguio. Since the children were small, we, along with four other families, are hosted by dear friends Tammy and Nelson Leung at their fabulous home —decorated by Tammy, of course! You can’t imagine how grand and how much fun it is. Tammy even hires a band!
“And Chinese New Year we celebrate in our home with our many Chinese friends. Everybody wears a costume. This is the one time our home can’t take all guests; we have to put up tents in the garden.
“To be sure, changes are happening because of our age, but Lourdes and I are probably in denial. We don’t want to change a thing about Christmas or New Year or Chinese New Year. The spirit soars, enriched, even if the physical may be going the opposite direction.
“But Christmas will always be Christmas. I even see its many colors in our maintenance capsules!”