My “santa” list

Each year growing up my parents always asked my sister and i for our “santa list”. The list when we were young was everything we wanted from Santa and was full of toys. As we grew older the list contained more practical items like clothes, school supplies and still toys of a differnt kind. They never accepted nothing as an answer and always balanced me and my sis. An interesting family tradition.

This year as always i was asked and the list contained two items one that could be shipped to me and the other for after midterms. Likely my most simple list ever that they agreed to.

Yet as ive been out today, christmas eve, around jordan i havnt been able to shake the thoughts of “santa list” from my mind. The day that marks the eve of the birth of jesus….what would of been on Mary & Josephs “santas list” a room in an inn, less of a distance to travel, a healthy son??

What about the 100000s of migrants in this city (and so many more worldwide) who r away from their families this season working? The mothers who will give anything to see their kids this christmas? Or their families back home who r missing mother (or father) around the christmas table?

Over the years my santa list changed to things less objectical and more relationshipable (yes im making up words). I prefered gas money to more clothes or a meal with a long lost friend to the newest ‘toy’. Yet on my second chriatmas here in Hong Kong my full “santa list” is changed again.

I got alot of it as i danced and partied with my sisters yesterday on Chater Road during our joint organization Christmas party. I had hugs, laughs, and dancing. I shared moments of lanuage laughs over jingle bell rocks with my power pamilya and danced 1 billion rising more timea then i can count (to the filipino song that is). I shared smiles in photos videos amd even felt comfortable dancing real dances with my big sis when the songs played. An event that has been a year i  the making. We werent with our blood relatives but we were with family and that is the top of my santa list.

Tonight will mark my 2nd Christmas eve here and the 1 year since i was hugged and informed that being happy is important during the holidays when we are away from loved ones by a dear friend who just happens to be indonesian. Those words have stuck with me in the hard times this year and i have a feeling will continue to ring o so true in the coming months. Ill celebrate with the shelter tonight that happens to be the current home of two of my sisters and then ill head across the harbour to bring in Christmas with my MIC family.

Tomorrow the weather thankfully warms up and ill be with my POWER pamilya for christmas party in a park in the harbour. Even more than my santa list could include. Ill hug my sisters 1 time extra and celebrate our crazy family.

While i continue to work so that families arent forced to be apart during the holidays just to survive…im beyond blessed to b with my pamilya for the holiday season. The pamilya that i have grown to love soo much in hong kong.

So while my “santa list” isnt that long and my wish list is…for these holidays im gonna love a little more, be thankful for my pamilya, and remember how blessed i am. Im gonna pray for those affected my recent tradiges, families who will never again b complete on this earth, and remember that the reason for the season isn’t the neon lights and newest gadgets but instead a boy born in a manager soooo many years ago. And im gonna dream for the day my pamilya can meet my family and the day that families arent forced apart to survive.

Merry Christmas Eve from Hong Kong to All!