CHRISTMAS Eve is a special day to Filipinos. After going to church for midnight mass, families gather for “Noche Buena,” an annual get-together for members of the family who may not have seen each other for months or even years.
They exchange gifts and generally enjoy one another’s company. They may not see one another again until the next Christmas Eve.
This year most of the country has been under some form of lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring people to stay home for their own safety. Offices and businesses have been closed down since March along with public mass transport, to keep the coronavirus from spreading.
For a while, we were not even sure if we would have any kind of gathering for the Christmas holidays, but after nine of months of lockdowns, during which annual celebrations and gatherings like fiestas and birthdays, Santacruzans and Undas, were cancelled. The government saw it was safe enough to allow small gatherings in celebration of Christmas, but still with basic health protocols such as face masks and face shields and social distancing.
In many parts of the world, the pandemic continues to spread and kill thousands of people, prompting nations like the United States, United Kingdom (UK), Italy, and France to renew lockdowns. They will not have their traditional Christmas or New Year celebrations.
