Thursday, December 20, 2012

Christmas to my ears!


There goes that sound again... the clashing of the flattened soda caps is what I hear from time to time. Carolers are very busy doing their "thing", going from house to house asking for "pamasko" (gift). 
I remembered when I was small, I was the one who was tasked to give the gift (coins) to the carolers after they sang to the top of their lungs some of the traditional Christmas songs. The most popular one was the "Jingle Bells" and oftentimes, the young carolers sort of "murdered" the correct lines of the song by mispronouncing them or by inventing words, as long as they sound like the correct one. I find it cute, really.
This is one of our Christmas traditions that everybody is looking forward to here in the Philippines. The children in the neighborhood starts forming their group as early as November and 

start collecting "tansan" (soda caps) to be flattened and make little holes to each cap. The caps are then ready to be strung into a wire and then connect the ends of the wire together to form a circular musical instrument like that of a tambourine. Very creative! These children go from one house to another, collecting coins and at the end of the day, each will have his/her fair share.

There goes that sound again... It may not be music to others... But it sure does ring a bell to me... It is Christmas to my ears!