“My husband, my children and myself are not on speaking terms with my brother because he was mad at us when we moved out of the family compound. I feel awkward about meeting him at our reunion this Christmas, but I know my mother will be glad to see us together again. What should I do?” For the Filipino, nothing is as comforting as having the family living together in one location, one house, or o ...[Read More]
My husband and his brother are not on speaking terms
Beef Afritada ni Nanay Flora (with a twist)
Ingredients ½ kilo tender beef, sliced thinly and cut into strips Olive Oil or any other kind of oil for frying and sauteing ½ kilo marble potato, scrub and wash well, do not remove skin, boil until half cooked ½ cup onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced ¾ cup water 1 tablespoon dried annato (atsuete) seed, soak in 1/2 cup warm water or 1 teaspoon annato powder dissolved in ½ cup water 1 small can ...[Read More]
Get Ready for Christmas Dinner
by Leonie Pisco-Cuerbo We are all in a hurry during the holidays! So—here are some fun and time saving tips for planning your holiday dinner. Plan your recipes now. Make assignments as to who will do the buying, and the cooking as early as possible. Prepare some food early. Some dishes can be prepared one or two weeks in advance and stored in the freezer. Stuffing for meat like onions, garlic and ...[Read More]
Christmas in My Heart: A story of a mom who looked for happiness and found it.
I always resented Christmas. In my view, it was a tiring, routine occasion that you just had to get through—give gifts, spend a lot, attend parties, prepare food…It was especially stressful if you didn’t have much money. At Christmastime, I really just focused on getting my bonus and worrying about how much it amounted to. I looked at my life in a negative way as well. Growing up with violence and ...[Read More]
Can Firecrackers Fight Evil Spirits?
by Nathan Maliwat A few weeks from now, hundreds of firecrackers will once again light the skies as we celebrate the coming New Year. Most people at the present time use firecrackers for fun, but there are those who still believe that firecrackers can actually drive away evil spirits. People in China were the first to use firecrackers in celebration of the New Year. In ancient times, they believed ...[Read More]
The Cookie Monster: How to Share
The fortune-teller predicted a bad future for me. I’m beginning to feel na kahit anong gawin ko, it will result to bad fortune. What will I do para mabago ang aking kapalaran?
Family Reunions Feel so Good
The fortune-teller predicted a bad future for me. I’m beginning to feel na kahit anong gawin ko, it will result to bad fortune. What will I do para mabago ang aking kapalaran?
From My Heart (Issue 47)
Dear Readers, Christmas is the busiest time of the year in the Philippines! The traffic is bad, malls and markets are crowded and no matter how early you start your preparation, there are always more things to do as the day approaches. Still, Christmas is my favorite part of the year! The houses are decorated with lanterns and colorful lights. Filipinos working abroad come home to celebrate with t ...[Read More]