Good morning and a very Happy New Year to everyone! It is currently December 31st—New Year’s Eve—and we are starting our day at the Yello Hotel in Cebu City. The plan for today is a bit of a marathon. I need to get a few hours of work in before we check out around noon, and then the real adventure begins. We’re heading all the way south to the mountains of Ginatilan to celebrate with Jessa’s family.
This is a special one for us because it’s the first time the whole family will be gathered together like this for New Year’s. We started by picking up some family members in the city to bring them along for the ride. The drive south is always an experience, but today was a bit more eventful than usual. We passed a fairly serious-looking accident involving a car and a motorbike. It looked like the car might have tried to make an illegal turn. It’s a sobering reminder to be careful on these roads, especially during the holidays—that’s definitely not the way anyone wants to start their new year.
Before heading into the mountains, we made a quick pit stop at our house in Moalboal to pick up the last of our supplies and empty out some things. We’ve brought along a decent stash of fireworks—nothing too crazy, but some high-end ones to make the night exciting. And of course, we didn't forget the refreshments. We picked up about seven liters of Red Horse for the family to enjoy. As for me? I’m the designated driver tonight, so I’m sticking to my Colas and water. I’ll still have a great time, but I’ve got to make sure everyone gets home safely.
We finally reached the family cabin in the mountains of Ginatilan around 9:00 PM. And true to form for any big event involving Jessa and me, it was raining! But a little rain wasn't going to dampen the spirits. The Filipino traditions were in full swing.
The real star of the show was the Lechon. Jessa actually sold half of the pig she raised and kept the other half for this celebration. Seeing the family’s faces when I brought out the Red Horse and the food was priceless—it was exactly what everyone had been waiting for.
The rest of the night was a beautiful, loud, and joyful blur of classic Filipino New Year traditions. We had a marathon karaoke session—I think almost every member of the family took a turn on the mic, from the youngest brothers to the elders. Liam was right in the middle of it all, experiencing his first-ever big family New Year.
As midnight approached, we moved outside for the countdown. We set off our fireworks, and despite the damp weather, the sky lit up beautifully over the mountains. There was dancing, more singing, and a lot of laughter as we officially rang in the new year. It’s moments like these—surrounded by a huge, welcoming family in such a beautiful setting—that remind me why we love living here so much.
It’s been a long day of driving and celebrating, and I’m exhausted but happy. We’re looking forward to what this year brings, especially with our big road trip coming up.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next one!
