This year just like the past three years, we spent our New Year's eve in a hotel. From the 16th floor, we had a pretty good view of the neighboring towns and cities. A few fireworks display started at around 10 PM and as the new year drew closer, the skies were all lit up with beautiful colors. We witnessed newer, more colorful and bigger designs which really thrilled all of us (my 78 yr old mom, hubby, my only daughter, son-in-law & smart, lovable & handsome 6 yr old grandson). When the clock struck twelve, my son-in-law started using the poppers. The room was filled with colorful confettis that made my grandson shout with glee. We hugged & kissed each other, tossed wine and had our light noche buena. While eating our noche buena, we could not clearly see the skies anymore because of the thick smog. Being in the room spared us from its harmful effects especially since we are a family of allergies. The fireworks display ended 30 minutes past midnight unlike in previous years when you can still see a lot until up to almost 2 AM.

Looking back, New Year's eve was always celebrated at home. It was something we all looked forward too. Early in the evening, I would start preparing the midnight meal while the guys would already start setting up their firecrackers/fireworks in front of the house. They really put a lot of effort into it because the playing of firecrackers and the display of fireworks were like a contest among the neighbors. Each house would try to come up with the loudest firecracker and most beautiful display. I remember my figurines falling off the shelf and our doberman tearing the screen door of the laundry room where he was temporarily housed for the night because of the loud noise the firecrackers created. My daughter would put cottonballs on her and her son's ears while the music in the livingroom is playing loud just to drown the noises outside. After midnight, we start putting on facial masks because of the smog and before retiring to bed, we had to sweep all the mess in the garden and in front of the house. All these did not stop us from celebrating it that way until a freaky accident happened in 2002.

The firework which was mounted on a platform went out of control after it was lighted. It flew and landed in a room full of newspapers and books of our neighbor's garage. Fire started and we all brought out our extinguishers and water hoses. After 30 minutes, the fire was under control but there were a few injuries among the children who happened to be in front of their house. They had to be brought to the hospital for treatment and later on sent home. Since that embarrassing and scary incident, we decided to celebrate it quietly.

Many of our friends find it rather weird but our preference to spend a quite evening with the family is a new tradition that will be carried on for years. Wherever you spent your New Year's eve, I hope you had fun celebrating it. Happy New Year !!! & thank you to all of you for being a part of my 2005.