Christmas in Los Banos

I walked along Grove last night while waiting for my Thai takeout at Ning’s Thai and marveled at the sights and sounds of Christmas in Los Baños. While most of the students have gone for their vacation, a handful is still here celebrating the season. Mostly, it is the business establishments that are setting the mood for Christmas. In front of the Los Baños Doctors Hospital is a huge sign saying “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year” while in front of it is a gaily decorated salon. I passed by Mernel’s and caught a whiff of that chocolate icing and I was tempted to buy one whole cake! Too bad their fastfood restaurant is closed so I couldn’t buy just a slice. I took a peep at their store and it was filled with boxes and boxes of chocolate cake in all shapes and sizes! No wonder the aroma of sugary chocolate icing permeated the air. LB Square was still filled with people for dinner, groups of friends having last minute get-together before finally going home for the weekend. The day before, Thursday, it was filled to capacity with students for that final hurrah for the year. Most of the restaurants were closed to the public as they have been reserved for group parties, from orgs to offices to class. I passed by Jarmin’s Compound where the sound of videoke singing is going on. Always a highlight for me is the belen at the Carabao Park. Every year, I get curious as to what concept they are going to have. This year is rather ingenious – they’ve made the belen out of branches that were felled by typhoon Milenyo! It is rather creative and the lights are certainly better this year.

I’ve been in Los Baños for quite a number of years and have special memories during Christmas. Here are some of them:

– A Christmas kringle with my blockmates way back in 1991. We held the exchange of gifts inside the herbal garden beside IBS.
– Watching Parolan with friends; in one year, there was even a fireworks display then going out to dinner afterwards.
– Christmas party with classmates and teachers with matching cartoon costumes.
– Waking up early to the sound of Christmas music from St Therese and rushing to dress up and get to St Therese in time for the 4.30am mass. In one particular Christmas, I was getting over a crush named “Noel” who just recently got a girlfriend. I attended simbang gabi with a blockmate, and right after I entered St Therese, the song immediately change to “The first Noel”.. Grrrr-rr-rr! Some homilies I still remember to this day, especially those of Fr Val’s.
– Enjoying the kapihan right after the mass, or going out to buy puto bumbong or else going for breakfast at McDo. One time, my friends and I walked from St Therese to Crossing just to have hotsilog at Petrinos!
– Buying gifts at Arcade (now Vega Arcade). The shops, then, at the back had lots of small items for gift-giving.
– Hanging out at the Carabao Park with all the Christmas lights turned on. It’s nice to see friends and their families enjoying the sights of Christmas. Taking lots of pictures in front of the belen is the highlight.
– Coming home for Christmas. While I love to stay in Los Baños, the thought of coming home for Christmas is certainly my favorite memory despite the fact that I live just a few towns away from Los Baños!

What are your memories of Christmas in Los Baños?