My Grandma's Feasta-cular Birthday Celebration

The day before my grandma's birthday, everyone was already busy with preparations. Some of our relatives butchered two pigs for cooking the next day, while the others made "puso" pouches by weaving coconut leaves. These pouches are like little triangular bags made of woven leaves where we put rice inside before boiling them. It's a traditional way to cook rice here in the Philippines, especially in Cebu.

The morning of my grandmother's special day began beautifully, with a bright sky and refreshing air welcoming us. We were thankful because it had rained the previous night, but fortunately, it didn't continue into that day.

My baby cousin was even reminding us that it was grandma's birthday, excited about the celebration too!

The "puso" were cooked outside, and the best part was that it wouldn't spoil anytime soon. Do you also find food cooked over wood more appealing? It's just different for me and it gives me a sense of the laid-back rural lifestyle that I appreciate.

Here's how the "puso", also known as hanging rice, looked after all were cooked. We transferred the rest and served it on the table. "Puso" is much more convenient as you only need to use a knife to slice it in between and open it to eat, unlike rice cooked in a rice cooker or pot. It doesn't spoil quickly and saves time serving guests. Of course, we sliced all the served "puso" in half to ensure that everything would go smoothly.

Some of our relatives were assigned cooking the lechon. They took turns rotating the pig since it needed several hours to ensure even cooking and crispiness of the skin.

While they were roasting the pig and others were preparing additional dishes, our task was to inflate balloons and decorate the area inside the house for my grandma's birthday pictures. My baby cousin attempted to help by blowing up a balloon.

My uncle purchased more decorations in town that morning. We chose for a golden theme to match my grandma's golden era.

We finished decorating just as the lechon, completely cooked, was placed at the center of table. Surrounding it were an array of various dishes, cakes, "puso", and fruits, neatly arranged on the sides. As the clock struck noon, it was the perfect time for lunch.

Before our lunch feast, my mom led the prayer. Following that, we gathered to sing a Happy Birthday song to my grandma, giving her the opportunity to make a wish. And, of course, we took pictures to capture the moment. She was truly touched and even teared up while we were singing.

After capturing pictures and videos of her and the family, we called in our guests and let them serve themselves first. As expected, everyone made a beeline for the lechon first!

As more guests arrived, my mom went outside to spread the word about my grandma's birthday and warmly invited them to join us for the meal. We extended invitations to all our neighbors, both kids and adults.

It was a truly joyous celebration, marking my grandma's 70th birthday. We cherished the chance to catch up with our family, relatives, and close friends, knowing that such opportunities are rare due to our city-centric lives. Seeing and reconnecting with these long-known faces after years felt so wonderful.