A Filipino Christmas Morning Seen from a Quiet Garage

Spreading Christmas cheer… and secondhand smoke.

A bright, sunny Christmas morning in the Philippines awakens a quiet suburban community just south of Manila. A cool breeze brushes through leafy trees, creating soft whistles of nature across the peaceful neighborhood. From outdoor kitchens, the familiar aroma of fried dried fish drifts through the air, stirring curiosity—and hunger—in recovering stomachs.

“It’s Christmas morning again.”

Cigarette smoke hangs lazily in the air as a rotund man sits alone in his familiar chair inside the garage. Gustavo takes a long drag from his Chesterfield cigarette, then washes it down with a gulp of extra-strong coffee.

“Hey, idiots. You guys seem to be in a festive mood too.”

He smiles as he exhales, directing the comment at his dogs lounging nearby.

Alone in the garage, Gustavo watches the normally busy streets sit empty. Children wander from house to house, practicing the Filipino Christmas tradition of namamasko—greeting neighbors with cheerful songs in exchange for coins. Eventually, a small group of kids gathers in front of Gustavo’s grilled gate.

“MERRY CHRISTMAS! NAMAMASKO PO!” they shout in unison.

“HAIL SATAN!” Gustavo replies with a menacimg grin, raising his hands in a heavy metal salute.

“GUSTAVO!” an authoritative female voice bellows from inside the house. “Stop scaring the kids and give them some coins! And quit smoking, you fatass! We’re heading to your brother’s place soon, so get yourself in the shower!”

Gustavo chuckles, softening his expression as he hands the children a few coins. Their laughter echoes down the street as they run off to the next house.

“Hey, sis,” he calls back inside. “Make some egg omelet with the eggplants before they go bad. I want breakfast before we leave.”

“Fine!”

For a few days each year, Gustavo’s isolation fades—replaced by noise, family, and the unmistakable chaos of Christmas in a Filipino neighborhood.

Enjoyed this glimpse of Gustavo’s rare holiday chaos?

Step into a very different night with him in Alone at Night: A Short Story on Solitude, Memory, and Quiet Reflection—where the noise fades, the garage goes quiet, and Gustavo returns to his true, isolated self. It’s a slower, darker companion piece that explores what remains when Christmas is over and everyone has gone home.