Under the twinkling lights of the mall’s huge Christmas tree, a boy at the age of twelve is standing in a corner with his small coin purse. While contemplating if he should spend or not, a little girl approaches him. They both come home with a pandesal to eat for dinner. The two kids eat in silence, not minding their chaotic surroundings. The little girl eyes their neighbor’s christmas lights then say in a low voice, “I wish we can have Christmas too.”
The little boy just smiles, his eyes twinkle, but with sadness. The next day, they run on the streets just to sell some rags and ask for alms. It’s their daily routine, if they don’t sell enough of it means they won’t eat for a day or two. Christmas is in just two days so the kids work harder. They get scolded by some traffic officers and yelled by some angry drivers but they continue their job.
By night, they are both exhausted already but still manage to put a smile on their faces because they at least have enough money now to buy some bread and cheese. For a twelve and seven years old, the only thing they want is to spend Christmas without working so hard and have a mother or a father to hug them and protect them from this monstrous world. The first one may still be plausible but the latter seems like hard to reach.
On Christmas day, instead of staying in their worn out shanty, the two of them go to the seaside just to have a different environment. They pack cheese and bread with them and eat it slowly, tasting every bit of hard work.
The little boy glances at his sister as she eats. He looks at her apologetically then turns his gaze on his limp foot. The people who should’ve been responsible in taking care of them have left and abandoned them for good. He has no choice but to raise his sister and act as a parent to her. They wander around and struggle to live every day. How cruel fate can be, no tears can measure the agony and misery they feel each night as they question the universe why they must live that way.
Some guy at the church once tells them that Christmas is the day their savior is born. He just smiles, not knowing how to react or what to say. He glances at his sister again and utters a silent promise, he will give her the Christmas she deserves.
His little sister looks back at him. Her innocence is long gone for she have seen the evil side of this world. Her dooey little eyes reflect a fierce and determined soul instead. “There will be a day where we will no longer have to risk our lives for a few pennies, I swear my life on that,” she says.
He just ruffles her hair and munches on his food. Since they are young he knows how smart and stubborn his sister can be, so there is no doubt she will actually achieve that. He promises to protect her no matter what. “You are my Christmas, kuya. Even though you’re annoying sometimes,” she says and laughs. The little boy knows what his sister means, she’s his Christmas too. This world is hell for them but as long as she’s around, he has hope. He at least has someone he can call ‘family’.
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