It’s not that I hate it, I actually love Christmas. I love the way people are extra-kind and generous. The way everyone’s doing his best to make the season more meaningful — maybe by decking the halls with boughs of holly, giving-gifts-exchanging-cards, and all that stuff. It’s just that, Christmas always leaves me feeling sentimental, nostalgic and vulnerable. That’s never really good for an introvert like me. Heh.

And the mall is just the perfect place to make me feel all mushy inside. Now that they’ve moved the terminal from Landmark to the parking area below the MRT station, I have to walk a long way to get to my ride. I don’t mind the walk, but I can’t say I’m totally enjoying the Christmas-y sights I see and the Christmas-y music I hear when I pass through Greenbelt, Landmark, Glorietta and SM Makati — during which my bag is being inspected five times by five different guards. Jose Mari Chan and Gary V. are once again flooding the sound systems. But you know what I think is the saddest Christmas song? It’s “The Christmas Song” itself! You know, the one with the lyrics “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping on your nose..” by Nat King Cole? The words don’t mean much to me, but the melody! It makes me feel sad as the song “Somewhere Out There” does. Lol.

Despite the inexplicable mixed feelings I have around Christmastime, I actually have a lot of things to be happy about. This year should be special compared to last year as I’m gonna be spending Christmas eve with my parents and brothers. I say Christmas eve because I consider it more special than Christmas day itself. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way.

As for my best friends, I won’t be able to spend Christmas with them again but I will see them very soon. I’m going home to Bacolod City next week to attend two weddings. One of my barkada is getting married at the end of month, and the other is my high school classmate that I mentioned a while back. Everybody’s getting married! This should be fun. And I can finally have the long vacation I’ve been looking forward to all year with the truest, funnest, bestest friends anyone could ask for! I love coming home.

It’s true that Christmas sometimes makes me sad but I still think it’s the best time of the year. Happy Holidays!

You wanna know what I mean about Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song? Play the MP3 below. Boohoo! [audio:TheChristmasSong.mp3]