'Tis The Season

I don’t know why, despite living in a house surrounded by massive pine trees, I can’t seem to find peace. I guess it’s just the traffic in my head, as I talk to myself a lot. My mind is constantly jumping from one errand to another, even though I haven’t finished the task at hand—whether it’s a household chore or something I’m organizing. It leaves me feeling completely restless.  

And let’s not even talk about the season. A supposedly short trip to the supermarket drains me because of the swarm of people. The once-cold climate now feels like summer, not because of the locals, but because of the influx of people from out of town.  

Anyway, I decided to stay home instead of spending my day off outside. The sheer number of people makes me feel like water melting—I just want to seep through pipes to avoid being squished. So, I’ll keep myself busy shopping for groceries online, even if the delivery fees are hefty. It’s just more convenient during this season. Let’s face it: a trip to the local shops isn’t worth it right now. Instead, I’ll focus on planning our holiday tablescapes and menu.  

Sissy has already conceptualized our holiday tablescape, but I know it’ll change at the last minute—fickle-mindedness always wins with women. Honestly, I do the same with my outfits. No matter how carefully planned they are the day before, I often change my mind minutes before leaving, obsessing over which color combinations match my shoes or earrings.  

For now, we’re going with purple, bronze, and gold for the tablescape. I bought transparent charger plates, purple table napkins, and a tablecloth to match, but something still feels off. It doesn’t spark joy, so we’ll probably need to spruce it up—it’s looking a bit sad and outdated. 

December is, without a doubt, the most expensive month of the year. Blame it on culture, religion, and commercialism. If the Spaniards hadn’t colonized the Philippines, we probably wouldn’t even have Christmas! Gift-giving isn’t mandatory, but let’s be honest—where’s the Christmas spirit without it? It’s like an unspoken obligation, even though no one outright says it’s required.  

On another note, my senior cat has been quite sickly lately. He’s so stubborn, always licking the floor for some odd reason. Cats are truly strange creatures. I’ve been begging him to postpone his sickness because the traffic to the vet is insane, not to mention the hefty vet bills. Senior cats are a lot like senior humans—they’re stubborn and seem to take joy in breaking the rules. Tell them not to do something, and they’ll do it even more, as if the world is ending.  

This year, I’ve been the laziest when it comes to Christmas shopping. I guess it’s because everything can be bought online now, so the thrill of asking people what they want is gone—they can just get it themselves. Maybe someday, everything will just magically appear before our eyes, given how fast technology is advancing.  

As for me, my happiness doesn’t come from grand things but from tiny trinkets—bits and bobs of cute stuff. I don’t even know what they are, but I’ll recognize them when I see them.