As a child, I diligently participated in our church's Christmas program. The program was always held, then, on December 24, right before the Christmas Eve Worship service. Those Christmas programs were well attended by the church congregation. However, there never was a year where my mama was ever present to watch. My mama is a dentist but she opted to become a retailer of textile and clothing in Divisoria like my two aunts. December was and still is a busy busy month for businesses in Divisoria that's why I was always motherless during these programs.
I remember dressing up in my Sunday's best for the program. For four Sundays and sometimes Saturdays, our Sunday school teachers labored to teach us songs, dance and drama for the program. There was one Christmas where I had a pair of be-ribboned spoon and fork as instruments. There was one presentation that I was tasked to be one of the angels together with my cousin Minerva. While on stage with Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the three Kings, shepherds, cows and sheep, my cousin and I fought for space on stage. Her wings were getting taking up to much space and I was being blocked from view. Thus, the nativity included two quarreling angels. There was this one Christmas where our newly appointed pastor's wife put up a children's choir. We sang Dona Nobis Pacem. Of course I didn't know what that meant but I enjoyed that experience and might have even inspired me to go into choral conducting years later.
Every Christmas program ended with the giving of white gifts. I never fully understood why the gifts were called "white" aside from the fact that they were wrapped in white paper - usually bond paper. My favorite "white" gift to bring was a can on Darigold. It was convenient - the pantry has stock - and easy to wrap. After the program, each one of the us were given a loot bag with an apple, an orange (dalandan, not sunkist) and candies. I and my church batch mates faithfully attended the children's Christmas programs until our 6th grade. After that, we were teeners and can't possibly be caught dead joining the Children's Christmas program. Oh, btw, dona nobis pacem means give us peace.
I remember dressing up in my Sunday's best for the program. For four Sundays and sometimes Saturdays, our Sunday school teachers labored to teach us songs, dance and drama for the program. There was one Christmas where I had a pair of be-ribboned spoon and fork as instruments. There was one presentation that I was tasked to be one of the angels together with my cousin Minerva. While on stage with Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the three Kings, shepherds, cows and sheep, my cousin and I fought for space on stage. Her wings were getting taking up to much space and I was being blocked from view. Thus, the nativity included two quarreling angels. There was this one Christmas where our newly appointed pastor's wife put up a children's choir. We sang Dona Nobis Pacem. Of course I didn't know what that meant but I enjoyed that experience and might have even inspired me to go into choral conducting years later.
Every Christmas program ended with the giving of white gifts. I never fully understood why the gifts were called "white" aside from the fact that they were wrapped in white paper - usually bond paper. My favorite "white" gift to bring was a can on Darigold. It was convenient - the pantry has stock - and easy to wrap. After the program, each one of the us were given a loot bag with an apple, an orange (dalandan, not sunkist) and candies. I and my church batch mates faithfully attended the children's Christmas programs until our 6th grade. After that, we were teeners and can't possibly be caught dead joining the Children's Christmas program. Oh, btw, dona nobis pacem means give us peace.
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