Christmas as a Cadet in the Philippines
12-22-2025
3-minute read
Duke Tion, our sponsored cadet in the Philippines, shares his experience as a cadet over the festive season.
Christmas is usually the happiest time of the year for my family here in Iloilo. But this year, it won’t be quite as exciting as we hoped, because my uncle won’t be coming home to celebrate with us.
My uncle is a seafarer, and he is the person who inspired me to become one too. When my father left, my uncle stepped in and became like a second father to me. Because of this, we are very close, and Christmas doesn’t feel the same when he is not around.
Christmas celebrations
When my uncle is home for Christmas, he brings the spirit of the season with him. We have a big family, and he always makes sure everyone is included. He gathers us all at his house and plans many fun activities. One of the things we look forward to most is the gifts. He is very generous and often gives us things we would never be able to afford ourselves. I still remember one Christmas when he gave all of us brand-new shoes. They were expensive shoes, and it was something very special for us.
He also organises lots of games for all the nephews and nieces. We play sack races and “breaking the pot,” which is a traditional Filipino game, similar to breaking a piñata. The games usually have small cash prizes, which makes all of his 10 nephews and nieces very excited, and the house is always full of noise, laughter and fun.
Food is also a big part of our Christmas celebrations. My uncle asks all my aunts and uncles to all bring a dish, so we can enjoy a big feast together. We usually have traditional Filipino foods like spaghetti, salads, lechon, adobo and lots of sweets. Everyone eats together, talks, laughs and shares stories. These moments are very important to us as a family.
Duke’s family gather with tradition Filipino Christmas dishes
This year, without my uncle, Christmas will be much quieter. I don’t think we will have the same big celebration. I’m hoping that one of my aunts or uncles will send a message to our family WhatsApp group, asking us to gather for at least two or three hours. Even a small get-together would mean a lot to us, just to eat together and celebrate Christmas in our own simple way.
Staying in touch
Although my uncle can’t be with us in person, we will do our best to make him feel included. We plan to send him lots of messages, photos and videos over the holidays, wishing him a Merry Christmas and showing him what we are doing back home. We hope he can reply when he has time between his shifts, so we can feel a little closer to him, even is he is far away.
When my uncle finally comes home, we hope he will take all of us nephews and nieces on a family holiday again, just like before. That could be our postponed celebration, when we can all be together again.
Family is very important to us Filipinos, and we truly feel my uncle’s absence during the holidays. Still, we are grateful for the sacrifices he makes as a seafarer, and we carry him in our hearts this Christmas, even if he is far from home.
Duke’s family gather for Christmas day when his uncle returns from sea
You may also be interested in