As this year draws to a close, my heart pauses in gratitude. 2025 carried both remarkable highs and humbling lows, and I am thankful for every lesson they brought. Challenges tested our patience, our faith, and our strength, yet they also revealed how resilient love can be. Across oceans and time zones, from our life in Canada to the steady heartbeat of family in the Philippines, we learned again that distance cannot weaken connection. It only teaches us to cherish it more deeply.
This season reminded us that joy does not always arrive quietly. Sometimes, it glows. Our visit to Glow Langley Christmas Holiday Experience was one of those moments where laughter felt lighter and worries felt smaller. It was truly fun and exciting, the kind of experience that brings out the child in everyone. Families walked hand in hand, children’s eyes widened with wonder, and the lights seemed to whisper stories of hope. With a warm mug of hot chocolate in our hands and live Christmas songs filling the air, the night felt alive in the most comforting way.
The evening ended with a visit from Santa Claus, a simple moment that carried a powerful nostalgia. It reminded us of childhood magic, when belief was easy and joy was pure. In that brief encounter, time slowed, and Christmas felt whole.
This year, we did not wake up to a White Christmas. There was no snowfall across the metro, no frosted windows or snow-laced streets. Yet the absence of snow did not make the season any colder. We kept Christmas warm in the ways that matter most. Quiet nights watching holiday movies. Familiar Christmas songs playing softly in the background. Conversations that lingered over cups of hot chocolate. These were the moments that wrapped us in comfort.
The cold and frosty night wrapped us gently as we made our way to the midnight Mass, our breaths visible in the quiet air and our hearts warm with anticipation. Inside the church, the glow of soft lights, familiar hymns, and shared silence created a sacred pause from the rush of the world. In that moment, the chill outside faded, replaced by gratitude, reflection, and a deep sense of peace. Midnight Mass has always been more than a tradition. It is a reminder that even in the coldest nights, faith gathers us, steadies us, and brings light to the soul.
After Mass, we returned home to a sumptuous Noche Buena, a tradition that binds Filipino families wherever they may be in the world. The table was filled not just with food, but with stories, laughter, and memories of home. Distance could not dim culture or love, as familiar flavors and shared moments brought comfort and joy. In that shared meal after midnight, we celebrated more than Christmas. We celebrated family, resilience, and the enduring warmth of Filipino traditions that travel with us, no matter where life takes us.
As we celebrate Christmas in our hearts, I carry deep gratitude for 2025. For the struggles that shaped us. For the joy that surprised us. For family near and far. And for the reminder that Christmas is not defined by weather or place, but by the love we choose to share.
May we step into the coming year carrying this light forward, steady, grateful, and hopeful.
©️ 2025 Del Cusay