SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR IN SO MANY LANGUAGES

Afgani -Saale Nao Mubbarak

Afrikaans -Gelukkige nuwe jaar

Armenian Snorhavor Nor Tari

Arabic -Kul 'am wa antum bikhair

Assyrian -Sheta Brikhta

Azeri -Yeni Iliniz Mubarek!

Balochi -Noki saal mubarrak bibi

Bengali -Shuvo Nabo Barsho

Bulgarian -Chestita Nova Godina

Cambodian -Soursdey Chhnam Tmei

Catalan -FELIÇ ANY NOU

Chakma -Nuo bazzor bekkunore

Chinese -Xin Nian Kuai Le

Corsican Language -Pace e Salute

Croatian -Sretna Nova godina!

Cymraeg (Welsh)- Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

Czech Šťastný Nový rok (or Stastny Novy rok)

Denish Godt Nytår

Dhivehi Ufaaveri Aa Aharakah Edhen

Dutch -GELUKKIG NIEUWJAAR!

Eskimo-Kiortame pivdluaritlo

Esperanto -Felican Novan Jaron

Estonians -Head uut aastat!

Ethiopian: MELKAM ADDIS AMET YIHUNELIWO!

Ethiopian/Eritrean -Tigrigna RUHUS HADUSH AMET

Finnish -Onnellista Uutta Vuotta

French -Bonne Annee

Gaelic -Bliadhna mhath ur

Galician [NorthWestern Spain] -Bo Nadal e Feliz Aninovo

German Prosit Neujahr

Georgian -GILOTSAVT AKHAL TSELS!

Greek Kenourios Chronos

Gujarati -Nutan Varshbhinandan

Hawaiian -Hauoli Makahiki Hou

Hebrew -L'Shannah Tovah

Hindi Naye- Varsha Ki Shubhkamanyen

Hong kong (Cantonese) -Sun Leen Fai Lok

Hungarian -Boldog Új Évet Kivánok

Indonesian -Selamat Tahun Baru

Iranian -Sal -e- no mobarak

Iraqi -Sanah Jadidah

Irish- Bliain nua fe mhaise dhuit

Italian: Felice anno nuovo

Japan: Akimashite Omedetto Gozaimasu

Kabyle: Asegwas Amegaz

Kannada: Hosa Varushadha Shubhashayagalu

Kisii: SOMWAKA OMOYIA OMUYA

Khasi -Snem Thymmai Basuk Iaphi

Khmer: Sua Sdei tfnam tmei

Korea: Saehae Bock Mani ba deu sei yo!

Kurdish: NEWROZ PIROZBE

Latvian -Laimīgo Jauno Gadu!

Lithuanian: Laimingu Naujuju Metu

Laotian: Sabai dee pee mai

Macedonian -Srekjna Nova Godina

Madagascar T-ratry  ny  taona

Malay -Selamat Tahun Baru

Marathi -Nveen Varshachy Shubhechcha

Malayalam- Puthuvatsara Aashamsakal

Mizo- Kum Thar Chibai

Maltese- Is-Sena t-Tajba

Nepal- Nawa Barsha ko Shuvakamana

Norwegian- Godt Nyttår

Oriya- Nua Barshara Subhechha

Papua New Guinea- Nupela yia i go long yu

Pampango (Philippines) -Masaganang Bayung Banua

Pashto- Nawai Kall Mo Mubarak Shah

Persian -Sal -e- no mobarak

Philippines- Manigong Bagong Taon!

Polish: Szczesliwego Nowego Roku

Portuguese- Feliz Ano Novo

Punjabi- Nave sal di mubarak

Romanian-AN NOU FERICIT

Russian -S Novim Godom

Samoa -Manuia le Tausaga Fou

Serbo-Croatian Sretna nova godina

Sindhi- Nayou Saal Mubbarak Hoje

Singhalese- Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa

Siraiki -Nawan Saal Shala Mubarak Theevay

Slovak -Stastny Novy rok

Slovenian -sreèno novo leto

Somali -Iyo Sanad Cusub Oo Fiican!

Spanish- Feliz Ano ~Nuevo

Swahili- Heri Za Mwaka Mpyaº

Swedish- GOTT NYTT ÅR! /Gott nytt år!

Sudanese- Warsa Enggal

Tamil -Eniya Puthandu Nalvazhthukkal

Tibetian- Losar Tashi Delek

Telegu -Noothana samvatsara shubhakankshalu

Thai -Sawadee Pee Mai

Turkish -Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun

Ukrainian- Shchastlyvoho Novoho Roku

Urdu- Naya Saal Mubbarak Ho

Uzbek- Yangi Yil Bilan

Vietnamese- Chuc Mung Tan Nien

Welsh : Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

PASKO SA PILIPINAS

     Christmas..


When we see, hear, speak of the word, memories flood our minds. We look forward to this day as the best day n our lives. Comes flashing the childhood memories, happy moments with our loved ones. receiving gifts, great and small, things that we wanted the whole year long. Longing for the usual things that binds us most, especially loving each other.


Here in the Philippines, we have probably the longest Christmas celebration ever in the world. Carols were played over the radio on the onset of the BER months. As early as September, too, decors had been placed all over the houses, streets were lighted with glittering lights, and each child practices the carols to sing to the every neighborhood. The sweetest smiles come to afore. The spirit of Christmas is felt in every corners of the malls. How glad! How amazing! Lanterns were being displayed. Multitudes of lights flood in each and every home. It is a FIESTA!

 I remember that, during my childhood years, Inang and I are going to the church to hear the dawn mass, the misa de gallo, simbang gabi. I could still smell the sweet scent of the dama de noche as we pass by the streets in the 9-day church service. We wake up as early as 3 in the morning, I never take a bath that time because it was so cold, i just wash my face and brush my teeth and am ready to go. Inang would tag me along because I was the religious child in the family. My siblings would not come with us. It was the most exciting experience I ever had in my childhood. And inside the Church, people filled every space, and because it was cold, I unusually liked the warmth of the body next to me. Each and every morning that happens, and after the service, Inang and I would go to the nearest bakery and buy pan de sal, so hot that the butter would easily melt.

 As we go home, we would walk again for a kilometer or so, still dark, but I am not afraid though because Inang is with me always. We would talk about my dreams, and with her comforting words of wisdom, she would say the most beautiful words I have ever heard in my life. Words of encouragement and love. Arriving at home, Tatay would have boiled water for the coffee, and there and then, the whole family would have shared the hot pan de sal, butter oozing from it, as we gorged happily, and plan what we are going to do for the day.

 I always remember the best noche buena that we have had. Since it was lean month for my Inang and Tatay to earn money, still they have afforded to buy us some gifts. I was lucky to have  a toy gun, with pellets, and my brother and other siblings had a share of their own. During the 9th day of the misa de gallo, me and Inang went to the church to celebrate the mass, and I have heard beautiful carols by the church choir. oh, how lovely they sing the songs. It really uplifts the heart and the soul to a new and renewed feeling! The mass has ended, we went in peace.

 We left the church filled with gaiety, and hope for the next year. For more blessings. As usual, we went to the bakery and bought the same amount of pan de sal, and since Inang and Tatay liked balut, they bought for us. We laughed because it was so simply amazing for us to have that balut in our midst for noche buena. As we arrived home, we could not wait for the time that we have to eat together, celebrating Christmas with simplicity, hearts on fire, with love and caring for each other. The best and the tastiest Christmas. The 25th of December, Christmas morning, Tatay dressed the native chicken and we had a simple salo-salo together.

 Many years have passed and the experience of that Balut Christmas still becomes fresh everytime I celebrate the season. How wonderful it is to have parents like them, sacrificing each centavo for the welfare and enjoyment of their young! Today, the celebration of the season may not be as simple as my childhood years, it had become more complicated, intricate, sometimes to the point of being absurd. There is no more balut on the table, no more pan de sal, no more coffee. And no more parents to share all these things present...not simple but complicated.

 But still, me and my sister and my pamangkins would somehow try to fill in the gap of longing for my parents, and as if they were still here to celebrate with us. The only thing that has changed it the kind of celebration we have had... no more no less... they are still a part of the celebration for in our hearts, they will be here forever.

 As we celebrate the day Christ was born in Bethlehem, we should always remember that sumptuous foods, glittering lights, beautiful decorations, new things, and a lot more that has become a symbol for Christmas to us are nonetheless, unimportant if we are not gong to celebrate as the way it should be. Giving, forgiving, love and care... should be the first things that will remind us of Christmas, as the way Jesus Christ, in His innocence have exemplified in us. These material things would soon pass, but the true spirit of Christmas would always be in our hearts.


MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERY ONE.