As an adult, Christmas season means a flurry of activity – parties left right and center (especially since Metro Manila establishments are really opening up after years of pandemic misery), prepping for said parties, and tons of shopping.

Personally, it makes me long for Christmas from a child’s perspective: Forcing myself to stay up waiting for Santa (chimney optional), lots of our mamita’s heart-attack/diabetes/sugar-rush inducing food, Alvin and The Chipmunks on vinyl, and of course…

TOYS. Loads of them.

As a bona fide #titaofmanila – complete with the seasonal exhaustion and capacity to make my own holiday feast (with wine, of course) – I realize that the best way to keep that child-like obsession for Christmas alive is to give the same feeling I to other kids. It sounds a little too altruistic, but hey… As a friend told me earlier this week: Christmas is for children and the children at heart.