FAMILY TRADITIONS


Welcoming New Year

Every January 1st of the year, it's our family's tradition to welcome New Year. We prepare different kinds of foods usually the "malalagkit" ones and the 13 different rounded fruits. And exactly at 12 midnight, we make noise to disposses bad luck and attract good luck. The noisiest thing we do is that my father will turn on his power saw. I bet it's more noisy than our neighbor's fireworks and it's more safer.



Birthday Celebration

We are five in the family, my mom, dad, me, my younger sister and younger brother. It's one of our family's customs to celebrate each one's birthday. For us, it's a form of thanksgiving for another year of living.



Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is a very important day for us. It's the day of our Savior's Resurrection. Mostly, we celebrate it at the beach. We bring food and eat there together with my relatives either in my mother's or father's side.



Wedding Anniversary of my Mom and Dad

July 20th is my mom and dad's wedding anniversary. Occasionally, we prepare food or eat outside or go somewhere else to celebrate it. Me and my siblings even write on an tarpaulin saying "Happy  Wedding Anniversary". And this coming July, we will mark their 20th anniversary. For sure it'll gonna be fun like the other past years.



City Fiesta (July 25th)

For us, this is the biggest celebration of the year. I think it's all because Filipinos usually do. It's the celebration of our patron St. James the Greater. We prepare lots of food and drinks for the visitors. Our relatives from different towns will be coming over. This is also the time where events are side by side. There are Kinabayo festival, motocross, volleyball at the beach, band competition, Dapitanons got talent and many more.



All Saints' Day (November 1st)

For us, it is not only all saints' day, it's also a special day because it's my father's birthday. On this day, our neighbors will come to our house and greet my father a happy birthday cause I know too that they can't never forget that. My father has a lot of friends in our town . I think he can even win for a position in politics in our barangay if he'll run. But I doubt that, he doesn't like politics, he said that's really a dirty thing.



All Souls Day (Nov 2nd)

On this day, we go to my mom's hometown, Dampalan. It's like one and one-half drive away from our house to visit my late grandfather and grandmother. We lit candles and say our prayers for their good souls. And in the afternoon, we go to Dapitan cemetery for my late lolo also in my father's side.



Christmas Day


December 25th, the day Jesus Christ was born. It's also my family's tradition to celebrate it mainly with our family. It's an unwritten rule that you shall not go somewhere else. We also prepare foods most importantly like ham.