Christmas Day 2010

In years past we would all meet up at 20th for Christmas lunch, and spend the afternoon exchanging gifts (manito-manita) , playing blackjack and just hanging out until it was time for dinner!

But this year, we decided to just meet up for dinner, foregoing the secret-gift-exchange(which was never secret in the first place,lol) since we were already giving gifts to almost everybody attending anyhow.

So, instead  of rushing to 20th for lunch,we were able to enjoy a slow day at home, sweet!

I was able to hand-paint a couple of personalized canvas grocery/laundry/gym bags that I was making for the girls in the family. I really just wanted to make presents that were environmentally friendly, and not to mention inexpensive...I'm still saving pocket money for our HK trip you know!

I wasn't able to take photos of the last few bags, but these were from the first batch. I was feeling pretty pleased with how they turned out then...and had to snap photos,hehe.

I was scouring the web for rabbit designs...since 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit. And this particular rabbit silhouette caught my eye. This is for my SIL, Arlene, who likes tribal designs. [I found out later when I went to the Negros Showroom where AZATRI sells some of  their products that they've also made reusable grocery bags! Oh well. At least, this bag was not mass-produced, but lovingly and painstakingly painted,hehe!]

The Chef Bag I gave to Lisa, since her hubby, Anoy Bong, loves to cook. I liked this chef design so much, I made another for my friend Izzy, who is an award-winning chef in his own right!

This Glamour Girl Bag is for our friend Ditas. This came in a brush set  (oops, I couldn't find where I got it from,so sorry)...but I loved it since it's just so classy, and can be used for so many projects!

I knew LBI loves all things ballet and figure-skating and I wanted to find a silhouette for her. But after the super-meticulous work I did on Ditas' bag, I was in no hurry to take on more delicate painting (especially since my year-old fabric paint was almost jello in consistency!). Instead, I remembered that Isabelle, being the only grand-daughter, took ballet lessons when she was younger, and her photos were among those that I had previously scanned. So, I went on to extract it, enlarged it, printed it out and transfered it onto the bag!

I finally gave up on my gummy red fabric paint and had gotten a pot of green paint, so the last few bags came out in green. I was especially pleased with the one I made for Mama that was somewhat celtic. I must remember to post a photo of that...

Anyhow,while waiting for the bags to dry,  I was even able to alter a gray blouse that I had gotten during a pre-xmas sale, surfed the net, and downloaded more scrapbook goodies,had quality time with the DH, and napped a bit before showering and getting dressed for the party at 20th. We took our sweet time getting there and were uncharacteristically the last to arrive! So after kissing everybody, we dove right into dinner.

This photo was taken by Malou of us attacking the roast pig (lechon)! I don't know exactly why the DH is looking down but he's actually cutting me some of the lechon's ribs, my favorite parts!

This is me and my plate full of tasty ribs, mashed potatoes that Malou made, some lengua, and some of Anoy Bong's special grape salad...which I was to ate a lot of later that night! I know I should be guilty as hell...but with yummy food like this, I can easily shrug the remorse off, LOL!

This is Malou showing off her special necklace from AZATRI. 

This is LoveLove, the youngest of my DH's cousins, and who just graduated with an advertising degree from UST. I had asked her to bring the Meg magazines from November and December where her travel articles about Negros had been published! Good job Love, we're all proud of you.

And this is Michael, Love2's elder brother, enjoying some wine in the sala.

Standing from left: Michael, LBI, Love, Tito Tony (Love and Mike's father) and Raji (their eldest brother).

Seated are Tita Ning2 and Tita Inday (their mom)

Just before someone left, we remembered to take a group photo. LBI was looking down here, but it's the best of the few shots that was taken from my camera.

This is the "red" team's group photo:

Me, Manang Judy, Pio (the tall kid at the back) and his younger brother Inigo in front of him. TVI, Crem, Malou and Kyla up front.

Malou, Ditas & Manang Judy in front of the Christmas tree

Arlene and I join them, but this time sporting baubles and ornaments borrowed from LBI's Xmas tree, lol!

Malou, Kyla and Crem

Familia Legaspi: Crem, Malou, Kyla, Anoy Bill, CJ, Manang Judy and Anoy Nene

A latter shot in the den: with Ditas partnering Anoy Bill

The DH wearing his elf hat gangsta-style, lol!

Just being kooky with the DH

And a much nicer shot of us...but we were laughing at how our shared bulk completely blocked out the Xmas tree, ROFL!

Tito Tony's family

Tita Ning and her presents

Kyla striking a pose

Tita Ning and older brother, TVI (wearing one specimen from his cowboy hat collection)

The guys sat down to play the traditional Christmas black-jack. 

TVI is helping Kyla count her money gifts here...

Kyla and her moolah!

Joben and Crem concentrate on their game.

Manang Judy and Ditas also joined the group at black-jack.

The rest of the others who weren't into blackjack just sat around the kitchen table chatting and laughing with each other...of course, all the while putting left-overs into our maws, lol!

The DH, who is incredibly unlucky with gambling or games of chance does not enjoy the normally brief time he spends around the black-jack table, and prefers to catch up with his brothers and other cousins, especially the ones who fly in only for the holidays.

The DH keeps a collection of rubber and plastic dinosaurs for the kids to play with when they're at 20th and some body had created this conga-line in the den. I just happened to walk by and snapped a photo of them joining in the Christmas revelries, LOL!

And that's the story of Christmas Day at 20th. 

Hope you enjoyed the photos and the chitchat. talk to you again soon. :)

A Bientot!