Christmas In Our Hearts

The first harbingers of Christmas arrive in October when jarring sales and decorations follow fast on the heels of summer. But by December, Christmas's true heralds are out: twinkling lights lining streets, the smell of balsam and spice cookies wafting through the house and visits from friends and relatives. The season's spirit drives people to the mall, to the kitchen, to midnight mass and to festive gatherings.

Christmas has had a long and varied history. It was been celebrated for centuries by different people, at different times, in different places, and in many different ways. It is a product of hundreds of years of both secular and religious traditions from around the globe. A tour around the world would be terrific to see how people celebrate Christmas.

First Stop ---- France!

In France, Christmas is called Noel. This comes from the French phraseles bonnes nouvelles, which means "the good news" and refers to the gospel.

In southern France, some people burn a log in their homes from Christmas Eve until New Year's Day. This stems from an ancient tradition in which farmers would use part of the log to ensure good luck for the next year's harvest.

Hold on tight! England is here ---- ‘Merry Christmas’

“We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas … “

Caroling began in England. Wandering musicians would travel from town to town visiting castles and homes of the rich. In return for their performance, the musicians hoped to receive a hot meal or money. It’s already a widely known tradition in the whole world whenever Christmas is here.

In the United States and England, children hang stockings on their bedpost or near a fireplace on Christmas Eve, hoping that it will be filled with treats while they sleep.

Can’t get enough? Mexico comes rushing forward with their paper mache sculptures called piñatas. It’s filled with candy and coins and hung from the ceiling. Children then take turns hitting the piñata until it breaks, sending a shower of treats to the floor. Children race to gather as much of the loot as they can.

Last Stop ---- Philippines!

‘Maligayang Pasko!’

Traditionally, Christmas Day in the Philippines is ushered in by the nine-day dawn masses that start on December 16. Known as the Misa de Gallo (Rooster's Mass) in the traditional Spanish and in Filipino as Simbang Gabi, or "Night Mass", this novena of Masses is the most important Filipino Christmas tradition.

For Filipinos, Christmas Eve ("Bisperas ng Pasko") on December 24th is celebrated with the Midnight Mass, and immediately after, the much-anticipated Noche Buena – the traditional Christmas Eve feast. Family members dine together around 12 midnight on traditional Noche Buena fare, which includes: queso de bola (Spanish: "ball of cheese"), "Tsokolate" (a hot chocolate drink) and jamon (Christmas ham). Some would also open presents at this time.

Christmas is also a fascinating miscellany of traditions. Every family that celebrates Christmas has its own customs--some surprisingly universal, others entirely unique--but all comfortably familiar in their seeming antiquity. Where ever you go and how different you celebrate Christmas, it’s the spirit of the season that is important.

It might be You, It might be Me

It might be You, It might be Me
-Clara Quiambao-

Give me a list of great authors, and I bet you’ll have a hard time choosing and gathering all their names. Probably a local or international author with the stories they have written. There are thousands of them around the world but only some of them stand out to the eyes of the readers.

You may not know but one of them is Nicholas Charles Sparks an international American author and now all his books are widely known. He writes novels pertaining to love, Christianity, tragedy, and fate. Though his first and second novel were never recognized and published to the public, he still continued writing until he reached the peak of success.

Before the world knew who is Nicholas Sparks he lived a simple life together with his family. With his second novel that was not published, he worked a variety of jobs over the next three years, including real estate appraisal, waiting tables, selling dental products by phone, and started his own small manufacturing business which struggled from the beginning.

He collaborated on a book with Billy Mills, the Olympic Gold Medalist and it was published by Feather Publishing. It was the start of his ramp all the way to the top. He wrote The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, The Rescue, Behind the Road, and a lot more.

Unlike most writers, Nicholas Sparks does not have a set writing style. His writing style varies depending on the theme of the novel. Even though the themes of the novels are dealing with love each novel takes a different perspective of love. Like, "The Notebook" is about unconditional and everlasting love and it is due to this theme that Nicholas Sparks' style of writing for this novel is very loving and when the characters are talking they express a lot of emotions even though they might not mention the emotional words.

Ideas flowing on his mind as he writes, and none of his novels follow the same writing style; each one is unique in its own way and it goes with flow of the story. It is one of Sparks’ qualities that made him stand out to other famous authors that until now, he still continues on writing and share wonderful stories and novels made by his own.

There are also other great authors like Meg Cabot a famous author of Princess Diaries series and Sophie Kinsella who wrote the Shopaholic Series, this two authors have the same way of writing in a way that the characters are too wacky and who are truly loving and full of ideas. J.K Rowling who is the writer of the most famous book-movie series Harry Potter who takes the readers to the wonderful world of wizardry.

Don’t judge the book by its cover or about the author who wrote it. But by it’s message and lessons for everyone. Everyone can be unique in writing in their own way with their own style or angle. You may know but all of us can write and express our own ideas through our writings and words. Nicholas Sparks is just one of those millions of people. We don’t know that we could be next one being on the top. It might be you, me, or anyone else.

My Fellow Juniors Congratulations!

Last August 27, 2007. Congrats Juniors! Song Interpretation of the song "Ang Lahat ng Bagay ay Magkaugnay" by Joey Ayala. We won the trophy! whoo! After all our hard work for making all the props and the costumes and after all the practices! lol

Unopened Letter

Unopened Letter
(I just thought I would like to share this short story)

"If love would be a game show, I’m sure I’d be the winner."

I have dated almost all the hot guys in the campus. Plus some other cool guys outside the school. I don’t know why but I feel I’m the epitome of an expert lover. I believe that I know love more than anyone else. That’s when I’ll stand corrected.
Dan, my current boyfriend, he’s somewhat awesome but I’m planning to dump him in about 2 weeks or so. Compare to others he’s different. He taught me something I thought I already knew.

“Jean, let me help you with that” Dan said while running towards me. “You want to grab something to eat after school?” he said. “Um, sure let’s meet up later ok?” After our date at a fast food, he decided to walk me home because as he said, he don’t want something bad to happen to me. While walking side by side he said “You know what, I have never expected to feel this extreme affection for you” I blush quite a bit and felt nervous at the same time. “Really?” was all I could say. Suddenly he slipped his fingers through my cold hands. Unknowingly I felt warmth and secured something that I have never felt before. Something I never felt before with my past boyfriends. As we walked hand in hand under the stars all I could wish for was for this night to never end.

After that night, I forgot that I have a plan to dump him. Every moment happened to us that night, all the words he said kept repeating on my mind and I’ve thought that I don’t want to hurt him at all. Dumping a guy like him is such a big mistake for a girl to do. That’s when I’ve realized that it’s my first time to love someone. I mean, to really love someone. That’s the time when I have fully seized the true meaning of love.

Time went by so fast and the day for our 8th monthsary came. After our perfect dinner, the usual, he walked me home with his hands holding mine. But then he faced me “Jean, I have something to tell you” hearing the tone of his voice and having the feeling that it might be bad I turned my back on him “What?” my voice sounding so shaky “My parents decided for us to move away and live in the U.S, they told me that everything is already planned out and we’re leaving by tomorrow. I told you this now because it’s the right time..Jean..” I didn’t let him finish. I slapped him really hard and said “How could you do this to me?! I thought for once everything is different between us. You’re just like those other guys. I’m foolish for even loving you. GO AWAY, GO AWAY!” I ran as fast as I could without even looking back. I felt my world crushing towards me as I ran towards the unknown.

Moving on and forgetting Dan was the hardest thing to do. It has been 3 years and I’m almost over him but then I found an unopened letter. It says.. “Jean, you know that I love you and I’ll never leave you. But last night you didn’t give me the chance to explain. You didn’t even let me finish what I’m about to say. But that’s all right, I love you anyway. But when you told me to go away it hit me so hard, you broke my heart apart and so I didn’t run after you. What I’m about to say last night was that I told my parents that I don’t want to go with them in the U.S. I told them that I want to live here and if that means that they’ll resent me, then so be it. It’s all for you Jean. I’m leaving tomorrow because that’s what you wanted me to do, to go away. But please bear in your heart that I love you. If you still wanted me to stay please go to the airport tomorrow before noon. If you come, I’ll stay. If you don’t, I’ll understand. I’m hoping Jean that you’ll come. I love you, DAN”

And now, I’ve realized. That if love would be a game show, I’m sure I’d be the loser. I’m bound to lose the prize. And now I’ve lost you.

Author: One of my co-writers in school

A Woman For All

A Woman for All

"The only thing I can really offer the Filipino people is my sincerity." – Corazon Aquino

She’s been a great leader to the Filipino People, a mother to her children, a wife to her husband, and an unforgettable woman to all. In the past few years of her life, she has done a lot of sacrifices for the Filipino Nation. A self-proclaimed "plain housewife", she was married to Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr., during her husband’s political career; she helped raise their children and played hostess to her husband’s political allies. Her family went to the United States for medical purposes of her husband. Their 3 years of stay in the US was the happiest moments of their lives as one family, a memory that will be forever in their minds.

She returned to the Philippines a few days later and led her husband's funeral rites, where more than two million people were estimated to have participated. There, she participated in many of the mass actions and led the Filipino to be united as one. A glimpse of the future came through the People Power revolution she spearheaded and then translated into a political process that was fundamentally a reinvention of democracy.

She had brought democracy and freedom to our country which united the people as one and young people today are lucky enough to experience the freedom that all of us is having and it is because of this woman who continued in believing that Philippines is a strong and great nation. Even though many attempts were done against her administration during her time, she still hasn’t lose hope and continued on loving the Filipino people.

The Philippines is today a better, safer place because of the pivotal role Corazon Aquino played at a decisive moment in the history. She’s been a great role model to all because of her great faith and being prayerful to God. Her generous and loving heart led the people to love her so much. She stayed in service to all Filipino People even after her term as being the president of the Philippines. She stayed faithful and gave undying service to all.

We remember Corazon Aquino for the voice of democracy she was and always will be in history. We should never give-up on believing that our country has the future just continue on working hard, we can do it, and be united as one.

A Special Day - Demi Lovato

A special girl is celebrating her special day today! A person who is great, sweet, awesome, cool, pretty, and loved by all people :) I'm wishing Demi Lovato to have a great birthday celebration and may she stay awesome and a lot of success on her singing and acting career.

What is you're favorite song by her?

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Don't forget to leave a comment. Thanks! :)

EXAMS!

It will be my exams tomorrow! August 18 until 20!
Whoooo! Goodluck to me lol (: I just really hate
having exams :/

It's The Message Within

CAUTION: Chose not to look at what a book is, what it is made out of, or what it looks like. Instead, I chose to consider how a book is used and what purpose it serves. So here are some lists of books that will surely interest your taste and will lead you to great imaginations.

Ways to Live Forever


Ways to Live Forever written by Sally Nicholls tells about Sam Oliver McQueen, an eleven-year-old child, terminally ill with leukemia, who, during one of his special education sessions decides to write a book about his life. In that book, he will include stories, amusing facts, lists and his own diary. One of the lists is entitled "Things I Want to Do". With the help of his best friend Felix Stranger, an ill 13-year-old child, he will, in due course, make all his wishes come true.

This is a truly wonderful story, funny, sad and uplifting. The book just shows on how young children or adults right now should value life and make every minute of it very meaningful.


Stargirl


The story by Jerry Spinelli starts when a girl named Stargirl arrived at Mica High in Tenth grade after being home schooled for most of her life. The kids at mica had seen nothing like her before, she wore a long white dress plays her ukulele in the halls and carries her pet rat cinnamon with her everywhere she goes. Most importantly she can make anyone happy, when someone has scored top marks in their science test Stargirl knows about it and happily stands their cheering them on in the cafeteria. When its someones birthday Stargirl knows about it and strums her ukulele along to the birthday song beat. Stargirl soon became very popular and got asked to join the cheerleading squad. But some people were threatened by stargirl’s carefree ways and it wasn’t long before people tried to make her normal just like the rest of the kids at mica high boring, usual and plain.

The story leaves us a message that it’s not only in the physical looks or actions of a person that we should look into but it should be on what is really inside and the heart of the person.

R-A-N-D-O-M

I took this pic few months ago lol I don't why haha! Just some of my randomness lol There is something with this bottle ... I was just walking a long and looking for some good views to take pictures then I saw this one on the ground lol .. haha ..

S-H-O-N-T-E-L-L-E

Shontelle

“I made this blog for this uber awesome person”

• Your first name of Shontelle has made you a sociable person who appreciates the beauties of nature and the refinements of life, and is moved by music and the arts.
  
• You are very idealistic and romantic within yourself and may have tried to express your beautiful thoughts through poetry or writing.
  
• Crudeness and vulgarity are very repulsive to you and you are very particular about little things.
  
• You suffer greatly with lack of confidence and self-consciousness.
  
• You crave affection and understanding, yet because you can be so easily and deeply hurt, you have learned to keep your true nature hidden; therefore people do not really know you.
  
• You always wonder if you are doing the right thing, desiring to express yourself but afraid to.

• Although the name Shontelle creates an interest in the deeper aspects of life, we emphasize that it causes procrastination, lack of confidence, and the inability to realize your goals and ambitions.
  
• This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success.

"Thanks for being awesome Shon! Keep rocking! Hope to meet you in person" ^.^

I love Battle Cry <3

LEAVE COMMENTS!

"Forever -a-Fan"

An 18 year old boy who has inspired a lot of people because of his amazing music. I was one of them. Since the very start I was a great big fan. I told myself that he'll have a huge and great big success in music industry, and I was right. He's loved by a lot of people in different parts of the world which is amazing to see. He remains humble all the time which is really great as a personality of a person. His innocence and giggles,makes him look cute and funny. A person loved by all, no other than, David Archuleta. Because of him, I met new people and became friends with them. It's so cool to talk to persons who are in different parts of the world lol weird but cool. His debut album was a huge success, now that he's working on the next albums, for sure it will hit a million sales.

Please leave a comment ^__^ Thanks!