We had a fastfood chain host a kiddie birthday party for Tisay's fifth birthday last Tuesday at her afternoon kindergarten class
Posts tagged with birthday
My parents hosted two small birthday parties for Tisay and our foster kid Bugoy a few days ago. Tisay’s actual birthday was more than a month ago, but since it was during the time when tropical storms were battering Luzon, we couldn’t go out and celebrate.
The first party was at our hometown in Bulacan. There was no program nor games, just a get-together over fastfood meals. Present were my mom’s colleagues in Sta. Maria and a handful of strangers.
The other birthday party was held at our hometown in Cavite with our paternal relatives. This time, there was a kid’s program hosted by a fastfood crew, complete with games and prizes. After the birthday party, we proceeded to the cemetery to visit the resting places of our departed paternal relatives.
Tisay celebrated her fourth birthday last Monday. We had planned to spend Sunday in a theme park, but since the metro was still reeling from the aftermath of tropical storm Ondoy, we decided to have a simple feast of Chinese food at home. We had a small sansrival cake for Tisay but we even forgot to buy proper birthday cake candles, so we made do with a medium-sized wax candle.
Tisay’s understanding of “birthday” unfortunately, is of a party, so all along up until today she doesn’t believe it was her birthday. She insists that she still has to celebrate her “birthday” distinct from the simple celebration we had last weekend. If the weather permits, we will push through with our trip to the theme park this weekend. I think she even expects to give a blow-out bash to her kindergarten classmates.
Right after class two Fridays ago, the block went to some place along Roosevelt to celebrate Jessa & Mark’s birthday. It was a welcome respite, after the incidents that morning. I only spent a few hours with my blockmates, though, because I had to attend meetings back in Vinzons Hall later that afternoon.
If my birthday doesn’t fall on the day of our town’s fiesta, it falls a few days before or after the celebration held every first Thursday of February. I spent some hours during the day in Sta. Maria, Bulacan last February 7 before going to my late afternoon class and took it as an opportunity to stroll around and take some pictures.
Traffic in the poblacion, and in the highway around the Bocaue area is terrible whenever it’s fiesta day. Ambulant vendors, flea markets and thousands of pedestrians are all over the streets. It can get pretty frustrating, especially when you’re driving into and out of town, but it actually makes the environment feel quite festive.
After my late afternoon class that always last four hours into the evening, I invited some friends to come with me back to Sta. Maria and have dinner at our place. As expected, we were stuck in heavy traffic on our way. However, watching the spectacular fireworks display that went off while we were on the road made the wait in traffic and the frustrated hunger bearable.
Victor Villanueva
law student, national democracy activist, film school graduate, photography hobbyist