All Saint's Day Traditions are GONE

I remember back when I was a little girl... I was never that fond of Halloween because I hate being frightened or scared.. And as a child... Ghosts and any scary, creepy things are my biggest fear (well.. snakes & cockroaches can't miss the list!). So I don't really anticipate Halloween season because all the TV programs are scary! But... One thing I love about it is it's one of the season where my cousins bond... I don't usually join them... Basically because I sleep in my lola's house and I gotta be home by 6pm or so.. But I did experienced watching scary TV progs and movies while our eyes our covered with either a pillow or our own hands with them. We were like crazily screaming whenever a scary scene is on!

The next day after Halloween is All Saint's Day... Well.. As I was growing I thought it's "The Day of the Dead" because that's how it's translated in Filipino: "Araw ng mga Patay". It's basically that one day in a year that we will go to the cemetery and be with the beloved family members who passed away... I remembered going where my biological grand dad's tomb lies with my parents, biological granma (Nanay), titas, titos and cousins... Then a long prayer being recited, flowers, candles and inking the tomb stone (which, take note.. i never had the chance to do!) I was so fond of watching the elders chant the prayer.. though that's kinda boring because we had to stop playing and remain silent... And you know when you're a child.., 30 or so minutes feels like forever! Then we'll all stay at the cemetery for quite long.. Half a whole day or so...

Our uncle used to narrate how our great grand mother tag them along to spend a night in the cemetery.. So my cousins and I dreamed to have a "museleo" to experience an over night sleep in the cemetery...

What else do we do in the cemetery..? I'll never forget how my Kuya Chachie taught me how to make a ball from wax... You know, the melted candle.. Haha! And since I was so amazed at him back then I tried really hard to make a ball wax (i just made that term.. I don't really know what to call it... haha!!) Then I taught my Ate Cheska the same thing... And we were like playing with candles.. We always wait eagerly for the candles to melt down.. And whenever a candle does..it's like a priceless victory! Every year we wait for November 1 to come... I remembered keeping a plastic bag full of wax underneath my tita's refrigerator at her store... Ate Cheska and I kept it there because we want to use it for the next year... See, Kuya Chachie told us that we can sell the wax! And yes, we believed him... That's why we really collect wax during All Saint's Day...

All in all I do love Halloween Season.. Set aside the creepiness.. It's like a family gathering thing... Though, currently as I think about it, I'm not really sure if the "praying thing on my biological grand dad's tomb" was done indeed during All Saint's Day or his birth day... Uhmm.. I dunno.. :P But hey! I was a kid! hahaha!!

So it was my second year now.. Or third I guess? That I haven't been in the cemetery on November 1.... The waxes are gone... My company to collect the waxes is  nowhere to be found as well.. I felt that all those traditions are gone in a snap... Yes.. We are all grown up now... Separated by time... Work, own family and priorities.. And distance my Mama and Mama Emie (the one who leads the prayer thing as I remember) are both in the US... Two cousins in Middle East.. So how do you continue a tradition without the people to do it with? What for...?

Kidding.. Tinatamad lang talaga akong pumunta sa sementeryo.. Ang init-init kaya..? Pinagdadasal ko na lang sila. :)