CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS 2008
By Jay de Leon

December usually brings some nippy weather and occasional rains, even in southern California.  But it also means the Christmas holidays and the holiday spirit, with the usual Christmas parties, reunions, good food and spirits, gifts and general good cheer.

For some de Leons, it also meant trips to Disneyland, Las Vegasand the snow, reunions with old friends, neighbors and classmates, several family and office parties, and the gathering of the clan for Christmas.

On Dec. 21, 2008, Nancy and Leo de Leon attended a mini-reunion of former neighbors of Philamlife Homes (located at Quezon City, metro Manila, Philippines), where the de Leon siblings grew up.  (See picture)  It is hard to believe that these upstanding Filipino-American citizens used to terrorize the Philamlife Homes community in their teens. 

Vic Nanadiego is a former Atenean and the son of Gen. Tagumpay Nanadiego, former head of JAGO (Judge Advocate General’s Office of the Philippine Army) during martial law, Vicvoc Jurado is the son of national columnist Emil Jurado, and Mari Sanchez is the son of Joe Sanchez, administrator of Philamlife Homes for decades.  Like Leo de Leon and the other de Leon siblings, they lived in this close-knit, gated community their whole lives until they left for the U.S.  This group and other former residents maintain close ties here in the U.S. and often hold reunions.

The gathering of the de Leon clan for Christmas was held the Saturday after Christmas itself, on Dec. 27, 2008 at Tracey and Martin de Leon’s house in Granada Hills, in the San Fernando Valley in southern California.  In addition to celebrating the holidays and ringing in the New Year, it was also the birthday celebration for the December celebrants, which included Mitch de Leon (Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Day), Nancy de Leon (Dec 26) and Paulina de Leon (Dec. 30).

The de Leon clan was almost in full force for this last gathering of the year.  The Jay de Leon family made the long trip from Murrieta, California.  There was the usual superabundance of food, some Christmas spirits of an alcoholic nature and gifts galore for mostly the kids.  As a clarification, the superabundance of food is deliberate, as we follow the age-old Filipino custom of also taking food home with us.  Nothing goes to waste, no sir.

The kids had a ball with their toys.  Some of the adults enjoyed the Christmas spirits, toasting 2009 a few days in advance.  We thanked God for the past year and prayed that 2009 would be a good year for us, bringing good health and some modicum of financial stability predicated on an improved, albeit bailed-out economy.

Grandma, Cris, Nancy and Leo welcomed the New Year in Las Vegas, Nevada at Planet Hollywood from Dec. 30, 2008 through Jan. 2, 2009. 
Here’s to a healthy and prosperous 2009! 

Till the next gathering…

Disneyland, California

Tracey, Sabrina and Marissa.  Note that their castle
is now capped with snow (in southern California?).

Marissa, Martin and Sabrina de Leon
with Goofy and Pluto.

Tracey and Sabrina de Leon

Jong Narciso, Tracey’s brother visiting from the Phil.
and Marissa. Jong Narciso is a world class mountaineer
who was a member of the 1st Philippine Mount Everest
Expedition that successfully scaled Mount Everest.

Snow in Southern California

Okay, this is not exactly Mount Everest. This is on
the way to Palmdale, California, only about 30 min.
from Maria Arneson’s house in Canyon Country,
near Los Angeles, California.

Snow bunnies Maria, Kimmie, Rachel and Tabi
prepare for the assault on the snow.

Rachel proudly shows off her snowman.

Maria’s snowman.  I think she needs more practice.
We expect you to do better next year, Maria.

Philamlife Homes Reunion

Philam Homes reunion at the Americana in Glendale, CA. on Dec. 21, 2008.
From left to right, Vic and Mariechelle Nanadiego, Akong and Nichie Ong,
Gail and Vicvoc Jurado, Mari and Jenny Sanchez, Nancy and Leo de Leon.
Ateneo Luxid Mini-Re-union

Jun Saura, Jay de Leon and Manny Tiangha after lunch at Jon’s Coffee Shop
in Huntington Beach, Orange County, California on Dec. 29, 2008.

For the record, the time was around 4:00 PM, and the
temperature was in the high 60’s.

Jun Saura currently works for Boeing in Seattle and was visiting
for the holidays He also maintains a residence in Palos Verdes,
near Los Angeles, California.

Jun Saura (left) and Jay de Leon in front of
Jay’s house in Westminster, Orange County, CA.

The Arneson Christmas Photos

Rachel, Kimmie and Tabi

Did you help decorate that tree, Rachel?

Yes, Kimmie, Christmas is for you.

That Santa looks too comfortable on that couch.

Is this the “Santa Baby” in the song?

The Rey de Leon Christmas Photos

Rey, James, Diana and Gigi de Leon

Just chilling out, or is it keeping warm on Christmas Day?
James, Gigi and Rey de Leon.

Rey de Leon with his impersonation of Grandpa.  Very good,
Rey, except you do not look aggravated enough.  As usual, Rey
  provides the comic relief picture of this article.  Thanks, Rey.

Christmas Gathering, Granada Hills, California

The de Leon Christmas gathering on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 in Granada Hills, CA.,
including a few Narcisos. Present at the event but not in this picture
was Grandpa Charn Rugprayoon.

Half of the food menu this time was dim sum.

Can you guess what this is?  No, not the colored puto.
Answer:  jeprox (fried fish) with vinegar.

Bibingka with coconut.

Welcome to our Christmas puppet show…

Happy Birthday to Mitch, Nancy and Paulina.

Tabi, Marissa and Rachel.

Da Brat Pack.  Sabrina, Marissa, Beyken, and Michelle. 

Sabrina and Marissa enjoy a piggyback ride
on their uncle Jong.

Grandma, Sabrina, Ken and Tracey’s Christmas tree.

Al’s brand new toy—a BMW.  OK, we are not impressed with the beamer.
We all have beamers.  The car parked in front of Al’s car is Mark’s BMW.
But we are impressed Al bought this car for cash, without trading in any
of his other cars.   And what did you buy yourself for Christmas?