I feel honored to experience two different phases and goals of caroling. First, when I was 8 years old.

It was the first time that I had gone caroling with my friends. We were nine in total, and all are excited to spread some holiday cheer by singing Christmas carols door to door in their neighborhood. As we walked down the unfamiliar street and secluded houses, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. I wasn't sure if people would like our singing or if they would get a good response. But we are determined to have a good time with our friends no matter what.

The first few houses went well. People seemed to enjoy our singing and even gave us a few pieces of money, candies, and food. I was starting to feel more confident and was having fun with my friends.

But then, disaster struck. As we were singing at the next house, a big, barking dog came running towards us, chasing us down the street. Together with my friends, we ran as fast as we could, trying to outrun the dog. We finally managed to escape and catch our breath, laughing at the adventure we had just experienced. Despite the close encounter with the dog, we continued caroling. And to our surprise, we were given the biggest tip of the night – a whole 100 peso bill!

By the end of the night, we had received a total of 800 pesos in tips if I remembered correctly. We decided to divide the money equally, which came out to less than 100 pesos each. As we walked home, I realized that maybe caroling with just one or two friends might be a better idea. It would be easier to coordinate and I would have a better chance of keeping all the tips for myself. Lol, it was the childish and selfish side of me that was kicking in at that time.

But even though it was a bit heart-pounding experience, I couldn't help but smile as I thought about the fun we had with my friends that night. It was an experience I would never forget.

The second one was when I entered college. I found myself increasingly busy with schoolwork and extracurricular activities. Despite my interest in caroling during the holiday, I knew that I wouldn't have the time to participate in the activity anymore. And at some point in time, my motivation changed to celebrating Christmas.

I didn't want to let go of the holiday spirit entirely. So it was perfect timing that my sister decided to come up with a new way to celebrate the Christmas season. She decided to organize a gift-giving event in our neighborhood where many children lived. She wanted to bring some joy and cheer to the kids and make their holiday season a little more special.

She included me to spend weeks of planning and organizing the event. She also encouraged me to put some of my personal funds into the event. We reached out to some of her friends and individuals for donations and gathered a variety of gifts – from toys to food to money.

We always distribute the Christmas goodies on Christmas day - setting up a big round table and laying out all the gifts on top, making sure to have something for every child. As the kids are lined up, their eyes lit up at the sight of all the gifts. They eagerly received our presents to them and were thrilled to such a special surprise.

We spent a few hours with the kids with their gifts. This time, I am not the one singing carols but the children. They joyfully sang every Bisaya carols. It was a heartwarming experience. I knew that time, I had found a new way to celebrate the holiday season - one that was just as meaningful and fulfilling as caroling had been in the past.

Photo sources:

From Mayumi of pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/15551561193888991/ From Yannis H of Unsplash - https://unsplash.com/photos/uaPaEM7MiQQ

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