Pasalubong

Pasalubong - a common thing in Filipino culture, which is one way of showing thoughtfulness to family, friends or co workers by bringing or giving them treats. Pasalubongs are common especially if the giver has been away for a long while, but the word can apply to take home treats that parents bring to their kids after a day's work. It can basically apply to anything that's brought home and given to someone with love.



I have enjoyed pasalubongs as a kid. "What do you want for pasalubong?" My mom or dad would ask before going to work, and then I'd tell them my special request. Then I'd wait for them to come home at night with my pasalubong. Tell you honestly, I didn't really care if they brought home my pasalubong or not. Being the nervous and anxious child that I was, I was happy to see them walk through the front door safe (and alive hehe).

Getting to my point, my mom and dad work in two different and faraway places, but they never fail to bring some goodies when they get back - even when it's just a box of hopia or ampao or ensaymada. Or on more festive occassions, like that Saturday my dad got back from Manila (I gave birth the Thursday before that), and brought two cakes and a lot of sweets from Goldilocks to celebrate the arrival of his first grand daughter.

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Last week, my brothers went to Manila to visit my mom for the semestral break. While lived off on Seven Eleven meals, fast food and yummy restaurant meals as well, I lived off on instant noodles. Kidding. Well, they had a lot of fun and I was left at home. With the baby. Not that staying with the baby isn't fun. But still..you get the picture.

After a week there, they went home with my special request: a box of Krispy Kreme (which we devoured instantly!!!) and Organic cookies for baby girl. Thank you momma for the pasalubong, and thank you brothers for bringing them home safely.

But wait, my mom sent more love, so aside from the organic cookies (which were terribly expensive - php200+ for 9 pieces) from Marks & Spencer, she got me cookies for myself as well. The Milk Chocolate Viennese Swirls were to die for.

She also sent baby girl a bottle of organic insect repellent and a pot of baby balm. She bought Human Heart Nature products (my mom's an Organic buffie) - their Guava and Aloe Cleansing Gel is just wonderful to the skin (more reviews, soon)! And oh, get this, she didn't forget the dog and got him organic soap as well.

Thanks for the love mom. While you can never really measure love by the number or the amout of material things given to you, I just think that it's a good way to show that you care and that you remember the person. It doesn't matter if it's a Chanel bag from your recent trip abroad, or a bottle of Spanish Sardines you got on your way at home (or maybe some red eggs from the market..yumm!), what matters is the thought behind that.

The pasalubong. What a nice aspect of the Filipino culture.