December Schmember!

The most wonderful time of the year is upon us once again. The month has finally come where we start seeing those colorful parols, the well-designed and lit Christmas tree, and those bright and vibrant lights that surround every place we go to. I think, everyone would agree when I say that this is perhaps the happiest time of the year.

Seeing those amazing and beautiful Christmas decorations never fails to give us happy vibes that affects our outlook for the day. Not to mention, the joyful Christmas songs that we hear in almost every stores, malls, and the like adds up to the so-called "Christmas trance" we are in.  

Just imagine if it’s Christmas each and every day, the world will be filled with delightful people and all those colorful, shiny shimmering stuff. We’ll be living in some kind of a utopia that Sir Thomas More have been fussing about from 1516.

But anyway. 

My December so far has been so much fun, as usual. What makes it such a fun one is the fact that I’ve been spending it mostly with my friends and family. And I definitely wouldn't have it any other way. I mean, what better way to celebrate the happiest time of the year but with those special people in your life, right?

They say giving back is what Christmas is all about. And I’m just so happy that as the Christmas season comes, my college friends never stopped in making our tradition alive, our tradition of holding the annual OCM Christmas party for the kids.

It all started from a simple course elective in college and who would've thought that it would be a yearly thing for our batch? I guess, by now, we're already used to making a lot of children happy every Christmas time. Its not always that people are motivated to give back but here we are doing it in the simplest way we can. 

Taken last last year during our events class where we had our first charity event for the kids

Our 2nd Annual OCM Christmas Party (I wasn't able to participate during this year)

It was last December 16, 2012 when we had our annual OCM Christmas party for the kids and I'm so happy that this is already our 3rd year in being able to give back to them. I'm actually quite thankful that I have batch mates who are very much engaged and enthusiastic in organizing such worthy charity event every Christmas. I mean, lets face it, not everyone are passionate enough to go through all the hassles of organizing an event like this. I'm just so blessed to have a group where I can freely volunteer and spread happiness in the simplest way I can.

The Christmas party we prepared wasn't really that grand to start with. It was as simple as a normal children's party where we prepared a program that the kids would appreciate. And sure enough, we were able to see good results. We definitely saw how we kicked start the month of December for the children of My Father's House and Oblation Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.

The kids of My Father's House

The kids of Oblation Sisters

Dance off: Boys VS Girls

Of course, the kids' early Christmas celebration wouldn't be complete without the good food, gifts, and goodies that they received from us, their Santa Claus for the day. 

The kids enjoying their Jollibee Chicken Joy

The kids happily receiving their gifts distributed by Kuya Johan

At the end of the day, seeing these children smile and laugh made our efforts totally worth it.  Doing this just for the kids’ benefit was just PRICELESS and REWARDING.

Little Francisco

What a way to celebrate the Christmas season, right? YAY! Kudos to everyone who took part in this very successful Christmas party for the kids -to Kate, France, Kev, Shar, Trixie, Martian, Ira, Lexi, Hips (and plus one), Patti, Jed, Johan, Michelle, and LA. I am really looking forward for next year's Christmas party. It's really amazing how few people like us can make a huge difference in other people's lives.  

The people who made lots of children happy

Picture with the happy happy kids

December is a month full of merriment and celebrations, which is why, my December doesn't end with this event alone. Planned dinner outs, here and there, with my friends happened which has always been fun. I have a thing for catch ups and I'm thankful that this month has been full of it. This is actually one reason why I love Christmas, it gives everyone a reason to reunite and just spend some awesome time together.

With Ivane at Ayala Triangle 

Mamou with the HS favorites

Oody's night with the usuals

There was never a dull moment every time I'm with these people. Though we don't see each other often because of our seemingly busy lives, you can see how we love to hear each other's stories. I mean, isn't it nice to leave work and academic life for once and just talk about anything random? Who wouldn't love dinner with your old time friends and reminisce on how nene you guys were when you were all in high school? This is also the time when everyone realizes how grown up everyone is, being employed, having their own businesses, taking masterals, and the like. I don't usually eat dinner but having that full meal with them on that time of the day sure is an exception.    

Speaking about growing up and being all mature, I know every working person would agree when I say that being stuck in the office doing your task for the day is inevitable. But of course, this is no excuse for you not to feel all Christmas-y. Believe me, I've been overflowing with Christmas vibes ever since the people in the office started putting up Christmas decorations. I don't with your respective offices but in the firm I work for, we also have an awesome Christmas gimmick that really spreads that Christmas mood effectively.  

So, in the PR firm I work in, we have this 12 days of Christmas wherein we are always showered with chocolates and something special for the day. Every time that Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas song starts playing, I so know we're already in for a yummy treat. The song cue will make way for Santa's little helpers (our admin) to start throwing some chocolates in the office floor bringing with them the special treat for the day. 

When this started, I sure felt the Christmas spirit alright. I mean, who wouldn't? With all the sweets and treats? How can you possibly not feel Christmas? 

Its so funny how my colleagues will just start swarming all over the place just like little kids to get tons of chocolates the moment they hear the song. And yeah, I'm one of them, which is why I'm always on a chocolate high when the clock strikes 4. How I wish we can always have something like this. You know, for everyone to be on the go before the day ends (says the girl who loves sweets heehee).  

This is my first time to experience Christmas with EON and I must say that I am very happy I'm part of this very fun PR firm. Not only do I learn so much but I am able to have fun as well, its the perfect balance! This is one of the many reasons why I feel so blessed this year. I have a stable and fun job and I have a great set of colleagues, what more can I ask for?

I did not keep track of the treats that the company has been giving us, so I'll just post photos of anything I have with me in no particular order.

Orange Cupcake Day!

Ham, cheese, and wine day!

Mochiko day!

I seriously went crazy when I saw a tray of Mochiko brought out by our dear Corporate Affairs team. I went all........ ":'( MOCHIKOOOOOOOO!!" Its my most favorite thing on earth (well, 2nd to gummy bears and gummy worms).

Cotton candy day! (with Kimi, Mica, Dani, & Pat)

Custaroons plus some yummy chocolate balls day!

Popcorn day!

Cake day! (with Pat & Mica)

I'm pretty sure I missed a couple of treats that was given during our 12 days of Christmas. But this is pretty much what the EXECOM surprised us in time for Christmas.

Christmas with EON doesn't end here, of course. We also had our Christmas celebration where we partied like there's no tomorrow in Club Mwah. Following The Last Christmas theme, we were encouraged to dress as our favorite super heroes. And as usual, people went all out with their costumes. 

*Photos are (c) Mike Serrano

The Tangerine Team with their awesome costume on

Sir Meinard as the Mayan Priestess

Karen as Miss Universe (Miss USA)

The Spice Girls

Anvey as Lastikman

As for us girls, we choose to be the Powerpuff girls for the night. There had to be two bubbles since we were four in the group. Well, we were originally 5 in the group and the plan was to have 2 bubbles and 2 blossoms. But Mica decided to dress up like a normal person, unlike us... :| HAHA

Pisha, Pat, and Me as the Powerpuff Girls!

Pisha, Dani, Pat, and Me (Bubbles, Buttercup, Blossom, and another Bubbles)

We also had the Follies de Mwah perform for us during the Christmas party. They really put on such an amazing show, the set design and the costume was just INSANE. It was a world-class performance, I must say. 

*Photos (c) Mike Serrano

The Follies the Mwah doing their Burlesque number

Of course, what is a Christmas party without a raffle? The prizes up for grabs were home appliances, gift certificates, gadgets, and the like. Lucky enough, I won a gift certificate at The Spa. The EXECOM was also generous enough that they gave each of us Sodexo GCs worth 2,500. YAAAY!

There was also a photobooth area where we can get our pictures taken in the venue. So, vain as we were being Powerpuff girls for the night, we took every opportunity we had to take lots of group pictures. You know, being the normal weirdos that we are. 

As for the rest of the night, we spent it by partying hard. Oh, it was a Merry Christmas indeed.

Did I mention that I got my Starbucks planner as well? I remember promising myself not to get one for next year. But tempted as I was because of its nice design, I forced myself and some of my friends to help me in getting one. So there, all the hard work of drinking those lattes and frappuccinos earned me this black 2013 Starbucks planner. YAY!

This has been my December so far. And nothing have changed, it is still my favorite month of the year. It will be hard for January to top this month for me. Hopefully, you guys enjoyed your December as much as I enjoyed mine. 

Happy holidays everyone and enjoy the many many food on Christmas Eve! 

Post-College Hangover

Its actually 'kinda funny when you think about it. The moment you're already done with college you seem to want to go back with no apparent reason at all. This might be some kind of a "standard feeling" that each graduate encounter after finishing college. No matter how much you hated going to school before, expect a great feeling of nostalgia after a couple of months of not being able to call yourself a student anymore.

My best friend and I were actually able to visit our alma mater during the last long weekend. Its weird 'cause we felt all happy and giddy with just the thought of stepping foot once again in the streets of Taft Avenue. The thought of being back to where it all started made us excited (that's shallow happiness right there).

See, we went to Taft during a non-working holiday instead of resting at home, that's how much we were hung over with college.

We tried to reminisce all those great times we spent in DLSU and felt "home" for some reason. We could have spoiled all the time we had but the hot weather din't allow us to explore the campus again after a long time. We were supposed to go on food tripping just like the old days but we got stuck in a little place called Celdy's, Celdy's our used-to-be happy place.

Ira was craving for beef salpicao since.... FOREVER. And being back in Taft for her only means one thing: It's CELDY'S BEEF SALPICAO DAY.

You have no idea how much she was celebrating and fake-crying when her beef salpicao was served. 

As for me, I only had my one and only favorite, Fruitas salad. I know, I could have ordered a beef salpicao or some other special food in Taft but you know, with the diet and stuff. It's sad.

I was supposed to consider this day as cheat day though 'cause of Ira's food trippin' suggestion but we weren't able to go as planned, so yeah, D-I-E-T.

It really felt good to be back. I guess, the awesome memories that we had in DLSU made us want to revisit college in the simplest way we can. And besides, 4 years of our lives had been spent in this awesome institution. I mean, La Salle has been a huge part of our lives somehow, what's not to reminisce?

Credits to Ira for all the photos above!

Back in college, we weren't really one of those people who were all crazy about the DLSU basketball team. I mean, we wouldn't go out of our way just to watch a single DLSU ball game live. We did have enough school spirit and root for team somehow, its just that we didn't feel all the UAAP hype for us to watch it live. 

Now that we graduated from DLSU, it's odd that we suddenly found ourselves all crazy for our basketball team. The past 3 ball games of DLSU against UST, NU, and just recently the round 2 fight of DLSU and ADMU, we were there going all crazy, shouting at the top of our lungs in Araneta & the MOA Arena. 

DLSU vs UST 

DLSU vs NU 

DLSU vs ADMU (round 2)

UAAP 75 is a good season for the archers, I must say. You can see the potential and the mad basketball skills that these players got. Maybe that's the reason why Ira and I are all desperate to watch those exciting game of theirs, excluding the Ateneo-La Salle ones.

Hopefully, this season is already OUR season. 

Yes, I'm still keeping my fingers crossed. TIWALA LANG.

Anyway. 

I can't believe I hated going to school before when clearly, being in campus (sans the studying) is much more exciting than being at the office. But yeah, work can also be exciting but not as exciting as college. I'm pretty sure all the employed yuppies out there get what I mean and my still-studying friends would surely beg to differ.

I wouldn't make this long and I guess, the bottom line of this post is plain and simple... I MISS COLLEGE, well, WE MISS COLLEGE rather. And as what Ira said and I quote, "Home is where TAFT is." 

Yuchengco Building