Welcoming 2013

Ever since I could remember, the New Year's celebrations throughout the years had always been an exciting event for me. Here in my country, people can light up fireworks on their own, purchased from malls, supermarkets, and dealers, then light them up even before the stroke of midnight. I remember being always so giddy with anticipation because it's not just about the fireworks. Our home is located along the highway and it becomes deserted every New Year's eve. We can play or dance on the road and nobody will care unless people start to set up the fireworks. I suppose it's when your neighborhood friends come out in the middle of the night with their parents to light up their own fireworks and watch other people's light shows as well. We also have these superstitions like wearing polka dotted clothes and setting a bowl or basket of round fruits like grapes and oranges on the table since dots and circles symbolizes coins or money. There's also this funny superstition like jumping as high as we can at the exact stroke of midnight so we'll grow taller. Of course, I've always known that a person's growth spurt is responsible for this. In my case, well...I never got past 4'11 after 6th grade no matter how high I jumped. You live, you learn:)

That was then when we were kids. This year, I'm in charge of the New Year feast or what we commonly call as Media Noche. We Filipino's believe that ending the year with a table full of delicious food is a must. So, as early as 3 in the afternoon, I'm already preparing some family-favorites and also, I thought of making something new for that night. I'm not trying to be master chef-like, just want to be able to give them the best our budget has to offer:) I made the usual Filipino version of spaghetti but with an unlikely twist that my friend at my son's school told me to try (you wouldn't believe how adding a bit of condensed milk to the sauce could give it a creamier and more mellow taste!). I also made breaded fish nuggets, fried chicken and graham cakes in mango cream and peaches and cream. My mom and aunt barbecued the marinated pork we ordered from mom's co-worker. Aside from these, we also have slices of ham, which is the Filipino staple during the holidays like turkey is to the Americans, a mocha cake roll mom bought that morning and the creamy fruit salad she made since Christmas that's been stored in the freezer for days and of course, the ever mandatory basket of fruit.

Personally, I do think that this year is going to be fruitful for my family. If not, we are still going to be prepared for anything. We've survived 2012 after my Dad succumbed to cardiovascular disease. In a way, our Media Noche is also a victory celebration for getting past the worst of what had happened this past year. On the upside, we are able to afford a feast for the New Year because Mom didn't have to give up her Christmas bonus to a certain someone with a gambling problem. For the past few years, all I could ever cook is plain and simple spaghetti and we'd be having that, plus the slices of ham (ham is a common holiday gift basket content from the employers to the employees along with groceries and sometimes sweets and red or white wine are also included), and fruit salad.

My family, relatives and neighbors are already outside to watch the fireworks even before 12 o'clock. There had been lots of light shows that evening and to me, that always means a bountiful New Year. I don't know what else is in store for us this 2013 but as a mother, a sister and a daughter, I could only hope for good health, good luck and all of God's goodies for everyone who needed them the most.