"Da Bes' Christmas Party Evah!" Revisited

Our party at the Philippine Consulate, billed as “Da Bes’ Christmas Party Evah!” sure lived up to the hype - from Serge Domondon’s moving invocation to the crackly lechon at the buffet. The raffle fundraiser cooked up by Jun Rivera, our able finance chair, was a success! From ticket sales alone, we made almost $250 from party animals serious about winning the grand prize, an iPod Touch, which went to “Lucky Aleli” Starosta. A big mahalo to everyone who contributed items as well as cash for the fundraiser.

We got to meet alums new to UPAA: Dr. Bernie Santos-Ocampo, Jun Rivera, Cora Mabazza-Rivera, Serge Domondon, Nora Quebral, Jane Misola (our membership committee chair), Dr. Milette Oliveros and Majah Rabaga. Serge, Jun, and Jane are already members of our current Board of Directors. E komo mai, everybody!

After inspiring the UP family crowd with his words, Consul Paul Cortes wowed everyone with his kabigha-bighaning interpretation of not just one but two (!!) Christmas songs. The crowd begged for more but backed down when he (good-naturedly) threatened “fee for service.” Thank you, Consul Paul, for being game na game!

Strategically locating their table near the buffet table, Ime Gasmen and Carolyn Weygan-Hildebrand thoroughly enjoyed mentoring the young and the “young kuno” who cut, glued and put together colorful mini-parols. This activity was a smash hit with everyone!

To set the stage for the “Battle of the Alums” at Christmas caroling, a caroling group made up of alums and MDA HI ALS Support group members, sang with animated audience participation. Put together this year by Jon Ellis Pangilinan and Debs Robillard to serenade homebound patients with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), this caroling project, started in 2007 under BFF Rose Zabanal’s leadership, garnered overwhelmingly grateful response from the client families.

The battle of the caroling alums, grouped by batch, provided the climax of the evening. With the karaoke video providing the lyrics to a carol which no one (including Toy Arre) seems to remember the title of, the “forgettes” (1950-60’s) bravely lifted their voices. Truly representing the flashy (thanks to Lena Duck’s red shoulder capes) flower generation, the 70’s-80’s group, sashayed to the swinging rhythm of “Ang Pasko ay Sumapit.” Finally, the 90’s-00’s entrepreneurial “bagettes” mimicked street urchins soliciting money with their rendition of “Sa Aming Bahay,” complete with a tin cup on the floor into which amused alums dropped coins.

In the end, only the lonely lechon carcass was left on the table as leftovers found their way into take-home containers. We hope leftovers weren’t the only things brought home from the party that night but also memories of the kind of fun the UPAA family can have together. Let’s promise to make more of the same next Christmas!