Chito’s original list was limited to seven gifts, but I took the liberty of adding my gifts. I am sure you readers can add your own "gifts" to give away this Christmas.

But, as he reminded me, let’s not forget to invite the "guest of honor" on this greatest of all days. Will Jesus Christ occupy a special seat at our tables?

The best way to celebrate His birth is to help and cheer up someone who can’t help himself this Christmas — a poorer neighbor, a street child, a homeless family, an orphan, an elderly person.

The Good News of Christmas Day on Monday is: " This very day in David’s town, your Savior was born, Christ the King!" (Luke 2:ll) as the Holy Bible tells us.

So have a blessed Christmas with your loved ones!

*****

Notes… The Children’s Cancer Ward at the East Avenue Medical Center needs a television set and a DVD player. Dr. Mom Severino told us that the children forget the pains of chemo and radiation treatments when they watch wholesome cartoons and other shows.

The old sets the Bulong Pulungan media forum donated have broken down already. Santa, please come to their rescue!

*****

My high school gang mates from Maryknoll College got together last Tuesday to hear mass for a classmate, Corazon Mendoza Farolan who passed away in San Francisco after a long bout with cancer.

It was another classmate, Rito Pobre Severino, who relayed the sad news to us through the internet from San Francisco.

Cora was my seatmate in grade school and high school and my neighbor in Paco, along with Aida Sevilla, now a renowned motoring columnist for another paper.

Cora was the ladylike classmate who was always the object of "crushes" from the boys of the Ateneo. She married Sonny Farolan, who was killed by thieves who broke into their home ion Bangkok, Thailand where Sonny had just been assigned by his company.

Cora left behind two daughter, Francesca and Catherine, and two grandsons by Cathy, her sister Josie and her husband Bert Montemayor, her brothers Simeon (Boy) Jr. and his wife Inday, and Ernie and his wife.

*****

We heard mass at the air-conditioned chapel of V Mall and afterwards had a delicious dimsum and everything-else lunch at the D n’ D Tea Bar on the second level of the mall.

There, over braised noodles with seafood, hakaw, chicken feet, lemon chicken, spareribs, duck wrap, strawberry tea, apple tea, lemon grass tea, catalina tea etc, we reminisced about Cora and our own growing up years.

Alice Canlas Avancena, who is our "town crier" for gatherings such as that mass and lunch, summed it up when she reminded us that we had to thank Cora for bringing us together just before Christmas!

Alice was able to get Vicki Ramos Tanjuatco, Mila Lejano Santos, Gloria Ramos Banatikla, Jeanette Gallarado Ealdama, Beth Javier and Linda de Lara Quintos and Aida to come on short notice and we promised we would come together again when Cora’s ashes are brought here by her daughters in January.

But before that, we look forward to seeing each other again when another classmate, investment whiz Lilia Calderon Clemente comes to town from China.

Life is short and we really enjoy each other’s company!

*****

Two sisters we have found each other again after four years are Jo-An and Liza, daughters of the late Viring d’Asis, "Queen of Antiques" and everybody’s friend.

I am so happy for them, that they have put aside whatever differences there were between them and it happened on their month’s birthday!

Jo-An hosted a cosy lunch for media friends and showed off the new house she’s building in the style of her mom, designed by her husband Dr. Toto Salgado. Wow, talaga!

The sisters’ office-showrooms in San Juan are bulging with beautiful antiques and reproductions using old woods, so if you need beautiful pieces for your homes and offices, hie over to Jo-Liza’s. Quick!

A BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO ALL!