Filipino Christmas Parties

These parties, my friend, are certainly over the top!

I am visiting two of my cousins on my mother's side right now in the South Jersey area, known to have a very large Filipino population. Next to Jersey City, and basically the whole state of California, I am surrounded by Pinoys everywhere.

My Cousins Diane and Kristina grew up in the South Jersey area. I once lived in South Jersey myself as a kid, in a neighboring town off Route 42 called Williamstown. My grandparents on my father's side had a beautiful lake house out there. Once upon a time, when both my families got along, we would use the Williamstown Lake House as a home base. Filipino barbecues, parties, bridal showers, and even weddings took place there. Alas, how time flies by, and how we all grow up.

Anyway, on the 24th, I arrived from FL to Atlantic City. My Aunt Linda picked me up from the airport, and off to Blackwood, NJ we went. Cousin Kristina is years younger than me, but really mature. She's here right now in NJ. She's visiting from the Philippines right now where she's studying nursing. One of the rare creatures who go back to the motherland for college and who were born here in the States. But the rationale's simple and pragmatic: Going back to school to the Philippines is way cheaper than it is here.

My Cousin Diane, Kristina's older sister, just recently graduated from her B.A in Psychology from Rutgers picked us up to visit her boyfriends' family for Christmas dinner and party. It went down simply as this: We saw pork leccion, lumpia (eggrolls freshly wrapped and not fried), "lollipop" fried chicken (simply chicken wings with the tops fried) and pansit (noodles) and what do we all do? We grab the food and eat as much as we can. Like pigs. Except I don't eat pork...

Eating, more eating, and spending time with family. I didn't get to see my mom's side of the family much when I was a tot. Now I'm totally making up for lost time with these delicious dinners. And lots of laughter. Exactly as my mother would've wanted. I hope.