Echoes of Celebration: A Vibrant Journey from Year's End to New Year's Dawn

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Good day, Hivers! How are you today? I hope everyone is in good spirits. It's been a day since my last post, so for this blog, let me share with you what happened in my life before the end of 2023! I acknowledge it's a bit late to share this blog; however, I still yearn to share with all of you the unfolding events of how I welcomed the New Year. So please bear with me for some of your time to read my blog.

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While the ber months are still a long way off, I have already informed my mother and my grandparents that I won't be coming home to the province for the New Year. I knew they were saddened by my decision, but with the holiday traffic and my busy schedule, I explained my situation. But my mom and partner tried to persuade me several times to come home before I finally changed my mind. Before our planned trip, I prepared extensively, even washing our dirty clothes because it's said to be unlucky to welcome the New Year with unwashed laundry.

On December 29, a day before our departure, I went to the mall with my little boss to buy things for the house and gifts for our homecoming. We spent several hours shopping before I decided to queue at the cashier, and as expected, it was already dark when we left the mall.

After returning home, I took a short rest before organizing our belongings for the trip and washing the dishes we used. It was already midnight when I finished my tasks before finally deciding to go to sleep.

The next day, the sun was already shining brightly when we woke up. We quickly prepared for our departure, had a quick shower, got dressed, and ate before leaving to find a bus. Unfortunately, all vehicles heading to the province were full, so we decided to go straight to the bus terminal.

From there, we traveled for over half an hour to the north bus terminal, and luckily, we found an available bus heading to the province.

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After more than three hours of travel, we reached our destination. Upon getting off the bus, we waited for someone to pick us up since our house was quite far from the highway. Eventually, our ride arrived, and we made it home.

When we arrived, not much has changed in the place where I grew up, except for the fact that my grandparents are really aging. They are truly among the people I miss whenever I'm in the city, and they are one of the reasons why I want to go home. Upon our arrival, a lot of my city-based relatives were seen laughing outside the house of my grandparents.

After dismounting from the motorcycle, I promptly showed respect to my grandparents, my mother, and other senior relatives. Observing their joyful conversation, I exchanged a few words with them briefly before deciding to enter the room to take a short rest due to our long journey with my baby boss beside me, but my partner opted to join a conversation with my brother and male cousins who were drinking and joking around outside the house.

After taking a break, I stepped outside the room, allowing my baby boss to rest properly. The first thing I did upon exiting was to look for my partner, concerned that my cousins might have pressured him into drinking again. Thankfully, I spotted them promptly, and my relatives didn't press my partner to partake. I joined in their joyful laughter, attentively listening to my relatives' anecdotes about their life experiences. That day ended joyfully, with some of my relatives who were drinking heavily almost crawling due to drunkenness.

The following day, I talked to my mother and grandmother about leaving for a while to attend a church service, and visit my partner's family, who reside just a short distance away in the neighboring area, and assured them that we would come back to celebrate the New Year together. They gave their consent, as long as we wouldn't forget the scheduled start time of our New Year's party, where we would exchange gifts with my relatives. I politely asked my sister-in-law to take charge of preparing the mango float I bought for tonight, and fortunately, she agreed. So, my partner, baby boss, and I prepared for our departure.

Following our prearranged schedule, we headed out for church after bathing, dressing up, and having a meal. Following the church service, we proceeded to my partner's family and spent time with them until the sky darkened. We then bid our farewells and promised to return the next day.

Upon arriving back at my grandparents' home, I noticed some of my family members singing happily, while others were occupied with the preparations for the upcoming meal that would be served later. I've assisted my cousins, aunts and grandmother who were responsible for all the food. Because our family is quite large, the preparations for meals were not too challenging. Even before the night deepened, we finished cooking and promptly set the table.

After setting the food on the table, everyone was called to start eating and begin our little gathering. Everything on the table is delicious, complemented by the hearty laughter of the people close to my heart.

After the meal, we captured some moments through photographs before commencing the exchange of gifts. Everyone received gifts from their Secret Santa, and all the received items are either useful for daily life or can be used at home. Personally, I received a meaningful gift—a picture of the Holy Family, perfect for my altar—so I am satisfied with what I got.

Afterward, the singing and dancing resumed while we awaited the arrival of the new year. With only a few seconds remaining, we collectively counted down the seconds and welcomed the opening of the new year together. The loud cheers made it difficult to hear individual greetings.

The joy I experienced on that day was truly remarkable, as I found myself in the company of significant people in my life, celebrating the beginning of the new year together. I'm glad I decided to come home; otherwise, I would have missed the incredible happiness of that moment. For me, it stands out as one of the most joyful New Year's celebrations I've encountered.

And here concludes my blog about what happened during our New Year's Eve celebration. Until next time, Hivers!