Video credits: Igor Kryan via YouTube.com
All over the world, the New Year has been celebrated. It is a celebration which keeps the entire world in sync regardless of color, geography, religion or whatever it is. Although time zones won't permit everyone to celebrate it all together, at different places, different times, the most important is the fact that at the certain point of the clock striking the 12 midnight, varieties of fireworks and anything that could mean a celebration are initiated.
In the Philippines, New Year has celebrated the same way as how we celebrate Christmas. These two are different types of celebration but since they are very near with each other, the entire Filipino country had considered this as a whole set of the holiday. This is also another reason why Filipinos celebrate Christmas a bit longer, the truth is, the latter part of it is for New Year.
Today, let me share with you some of the things that we did last night as we welcomed the New Year 2018.
NEW YEAR PREPARATIONS
Image credits: new--year.info
Earlier, I blogged about the Filipino superstitious beliefs in celebrating New Year and it has a lot of things involved from dresses, to food and even to activities. I have to add that because it is already the time of the millennial, there were things that I listed which have not been practiced anymore but there's a new one which I have found out that I missed which I will deal with in this blog.
Before the New Year, days ago we had bought the necessary things needed for food preparations especially for dessert.
The usual viand on the table are pork recipes, fruits and vegetables of course but this will vary depending on the buying capacity of the household.
Image credits: www.kawalingpinoy.com
Importantly, the fruits which represent the months of the entire year were bought either a day or on the day of the New Year's Eve.
Cooking the food was the main highlight of the eve's day. In Oslob where my husband and I celebrated New Year as how we traditionally follow, my mother in law cooked the viand dishes while my sister in law and her partner did the desserts.
Another important thing in our home that day was the karaoke machine. We need to be really noisy as we welcome the new year thus, we have to get a machine for loud music. That day, the in-laws went out and took the machine into the house.
HOURS BEFORE THE NEW YEAR
As everything was all prepared, our in-law aunts and friends, as well as neighbors, started arriving and there was a special activity that night, that's New Year's exchange gift!
Our simple table. Image credits: Charlene Figues FB
It was actually funny that they were doing this on the eve of the new year but it doesn't matter, they are welcoming it by exchanging gifts!
The karaoke machine, of course, was already turned on with loud music of course. All of us gathered around the machine and started keying in the number codes for the music we wanted to sing.
Eight o'clock came and the elders went into the nearby chapel for their nightly prayers and we had to stop the machine to give them the solemn and silent night for prayers. It only took around 30 minutes and they were done!
As they close the prayers, everyone was again asking for the machine to be turned on. And the official night started.
NEW YEAR 2018
Image credits: James FIgues FB Cover Photo
White Moscato wine, Smirnoff, biko, 13 fruits, 13 candles, snacks, noodles and soft drinks - all were at the table ready to be devoured as the year 2018 was about to come.
The neighbors had started blowing their horns and as the clock struck 12, we watched the fireworks display from the nearby neighborhood.
The vehicles' engines may it be motorcycles, four-wheeled cars and even the bicycles were alive that night. I didn't know that this should be turned on during the new year too but my husband said it is a tradition to keep the vehicles in good condition the entire year.
Mother in law had brought the plates out for everyone to eat. But before that, she had all her candles laid in the hallway and started lighting them one by one as she paid a simple and short prayer. To whatever it was, I don't have an idea but I totally believe that she had prayed for her family, her children and for her life.
Image credits: www.gofundme.com
The fireworks display kept on firing up to the skies, blowing with different colors as it spikes up into the air. The skies were clear and the only thing that was giving it color was the fireworks. It continued for an estimated five to six minutes. Everyone was staring at the skies, most of us had our phones up too to record the simple fireworks display.
I totally believe that in the other parts of the country, fireworks were huge and it will be a blast to watch it in person but for us here in the province, we were already satisfied as for how we were seeing it right at that moment.
Image credits: www.nydailynews.com
After the fireworks display, we went back to the Karaoke machine, continued with our singing session as well as the drinking!
Everyone was also on their mobile phones and greeting their friends over social media, even posting year end-er selfies too just like how my cousins in law did that dawn! I, on the other hand, had contacted my parents in Bohol as well as my brothers in Dubai to greet them a Happy New Year of course.
I also updated my cover photo as follows:
Image credits: Jean Beltran-Figues FB Cover Photo
The night was really full of noise, as the kids were still blowing their horns. The machine continued providing songs but the noise was fading as the neighborhood started going to bed. I was already sleepy too but for the sake of the celebration, continued to select songs and sing at the music machine.
The Moscato wine was served too so I was becoming a bit dizzy due to its alcohol content. James, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the singing session as he continued to key in the songs he found in the songbook.
Image credits: www.panglaoisland.net
But we bid the rest good night as our body demanded rest. The cousins in law were still on the microphone and were singing till late dawn.
That ended my New Year celebration. How about you? How did you welcome 2018?
Video credits: Doorbeen Productions via YouTube.com
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Blog entry written and published by Jean Beltran-Figues, A Pinas traveler and photography hobbyist, find more travel blogs in my blog section, click here.
