Christmas day hasn’t been like this in a long time; at least 2 or 3 years. I had the greatest time with every single family and friend that showed up at my aunt’s home. 

Although time flew by, there were just some noticeable difference from over the years: 

• The young ones are now in elementary school, and some of them are hitting puberty. I still remember them with awkward haircuts and playing ‘house’ in and around one room. 
• The ones that were in elementary are now legal to drive, vote, and drink - everyone was offered a shot of liquor with not a second thought. 
• boyfriends and girlfriends, or just friends of the family showed up with high spirits, and showed them that family is what it is all about by including them in our karaoke singing, dancing, gambling and drinking. I mean, they are pretty much a part of a family if they can survive. 
• there were three dogs and a few babies. All the babies were accused of pooping by the nativity scene. That is still unresolved as to who it was. 

Everyone was congratulating me on finishing university with my degree, yada yada yada, and that includes my kuya Aaron, who I haven’t seen in three years. He lives in Edmonton now, visiting his family during the important holiday season, but we have always missed each other every.single.time. It would either be that I would have just left, and he’d arrive, or that he would leave when I arrive. The timing was never right. Finally, he shook my hand and gave me a huge hug, and couldn’t believe that school is over and done with.

The family has been going through a lot: turmoil of unresolved hatred, deaths, and so forth, but at the end of the night, we still are here. In this moment. I swear it was infinite, and so was the alcohol.