My life story starting with my childhood years in the small town of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippines up to my retirement from the United States Food and Drug Administration, Center of New Drugs in 2002 and beyond. Some of the photos and videos in this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention in infringing on your copyrights.
Twelve of my 24 White House Christmas Tree Ornaments.
Today December 1, 2016 reminds me of the Katague's clan several decades of Christmas celebration here in the US. Our first Christmas was in 1960 in Chicago, Illinois. Christmas also reminds me of Christmas tree decorations at home. Macrine and I started our very small collection of White House Christmas Tree Ornaments during the Clinton-Gore Administration (1993-2000). What inspired us to do this was a receipt of a Personalized Christmas Card from the White House in 1994. It came from Former President Bill and Mrs. Hillary Clinton. At that time my son was working for the Office of the President( White House), as a Policy Analyst for the Office of Management and Budget. I believe this was the reason why we were in the Christmas List of the Clinton's during Bill Clinton's presidency.
Macrine and I considered receiving Christmas Cards from the White House, one of the several successes that both of us have accomplished here in the US. (http://davidbkatague.blogspot.com dated April 22, 2016).
Yesterday, I purchased one White House Christmas tree ornament at our the Post Office for $24.95 (see photo above). It is honoring former President Herbert Hoover. It depicts the picture of a Fire Engine that responded during the 1929 to 1933 years. Most of our ornament collections were during the Clinton-Gore years.
Here's a video about the White House Christmas Ornaments from the White House Historical Association.
Our simple Christmas Decor this Year-Holiday Greetings from Our House to Yours!
This year our simple Christmas Decor took only an hour to install. The focal point in our decor is the Capiz Parol and our Marble Table Lamp from the Philippines.
Tree, Wreath and an Electric Fire Place Insert
Our Lanzones Wood Belen(Left of Photo)
Small Christmas Tree
Close-Up of White House Christmas Ornaments
The only decoration of our tree are 20 White House ornaments that we have collected in the past three decades. For details on the WH Christmas ornaments read:
On Christmas, David III displayed his autographed photo of Bill and Hillary in our family room and take it back to his room after Jan 6. David used to work for the White House (OMB) during the Bill Clinton Presidency( 1993 to 2001)
For the past decade the major décor of our Christmas tree are the White House Ornaments that Macrine and I have collected since 1993 (http://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2016/12/our-white-house-christmas-tree.html).
Attached are some of our favorite ornaments. You can purchase these on line or in the post office for some editions.
In case you are not familiar with these ornaments please visit the sites below:
https://shop.whitehousehistory.org/
https://www.whitehousegiftshop.com/category-s/2278.htm
The three items(photo above)were given to me by Ditas and Carenna on my 85th birthday: 1. Air plants(2 in driftwood): 2. A coffee book and 3. A White House Christmas Ornament.
This is my first time to have Air plants and looking forward to have them thrive and flower for me to enjoy.
1. Air Plants true name are Tillandsia. The reason why they are nicknamed "Air Plants" is because they get the majority of their nutrients from the air around them. Wikipedia says:
Tillandsia is a genus of around 650 species of evergreen, perennialflowering plants in the familyBromeliaceae,
native to the forests, mountains and deserts of northern Mexico and
south-eastern United States, Mesoamerica and the Caribbean to mid
Argentina. Their leaves, more or less silvery in color, are covered with
specialized cells (trichomes) capable of rapidly absorbing water that
gathers on them.
They are also commonly known as airplants because of their
natural propensity to cling wherever conditions permit: telephone
wires, tree branches, barks, bare rocks, etc. Their light seeds and a
silky parachute facilitate this spread. Most Tillandsia species are epiphytes – which translates to 'upon a plant'. Some are aerophytes,
which have a minimal root system and grow on shifting desert soil. Due
to the epiphytic way of life of the plants the peculiarity arises that
these bulbs do not lie in the ground, but hang in the air on branches.
How do you care for them?
Every one to two weeks, soak your air plant in room temperature tap water (or rain/pond water if you can find it) for 5-10 minutes.
After soaking gently shake excess water from your plant. ...
From the time soaking ends, the plant should be able to dry fully in no more than 3 hours.
Our Capiz Parol in our Living Room Picture Window-The Focus of our simple Season Decor
Every year for the last three decades when all the kids were gone, Macrine and I decided to have the Christmas decorations in and out of the house be simple and easy to install and remove and would not require more than 3 hours to install. WE USED TO buy real Christmas trees( from 10ft to 15ft) when the 4 D's were still residing with us. The tree was for them, but now that they have their own families, Macrine and I are happy with our 6-foot pre-lit artificial tree with just our White House Ornaments collection and other small photo ornaments. We have also a small Christmas tree made of candies ( see photo).
Tree with Lanzones Wood Carving of Belen from the Philippines
Close-Up of tree with White House Ornaments and Children Photo Decor
Candy tree with Porcelain Nativity Scene from Germany
Close Up of Carved Lanzones Wood of the Nativity Scene
Christmas Toys Collection (1960's)
Hello Santa Claus, and my two Chihuahuas( Squeezed them hard-and they will say, I love You)
Christmas Wreath in our Front Porch
The Christmas season always reminds me of the following article in my Hubpages.com account:
https://hubpages.com/travel/the-philippines-nation-of-fiestas-and-festivals
Today is my 82nd birthday. There will be no party, just a Lobster Dinner with Champagne. The party will be in four days during Christmas Eve when all my 4 adult children and 6 grand children celebrate Christmas with us (Macrine and I). As usual we have Honey-Baked ham and Chicken Macaroni Salad. I am reposting an excerpt from my recent posting on the subject topic of my last blog as follows.
"Today, I am also thinking of the subject topics of my last blog. It will not be lecture although, I used to be a teacher, Instructor, UP Chemistry(1956-1959)in the Philippines. What would be the subject of my last blog ? For sure it will not be an article filled with high sounding words. It would be a simple and a direct post that comes from the heart. It will probably be a summary of what I have done both professionally and personally. I hope that my last blog will continue to inspire the younger generation as they read the ups and down of my autobiography.
Here's a summary from my Pamana Award in Chemistry Nomination Package, perhaps my future epitaph with the addition that I was also a loving and caring husband, father and grand father and maybe a loving great grand father.
"Dr Katague is a trailblazer in the field of Chemistry and Drug Regulation. He is the first Filipino American to attain the position of Team Leader and Expert in the Center of New Drugs, Food and Drug Administration. He is also the first Filipino-American to be elected for two 5 year terms( 1995-2005) to the United States Pharmacopeia Council of Experts since its inception in 1820. Dr Katague's drive and energy to succeed is a representation of the Filipino people's talent and passion for excellence. He has shown that Filipinos can contribute significantly to the advancement of science, therefore help the world a better and safer place by insuring that only safe and better quality drugs are approved and marketed.
Dr Katague had also more than 22 years experience in agricultural research( pesticides residues analytical method development) working for three private companies in the US".
My Outstanding Senior Citizen Award in Chemistry, Science-Research from Parangal, 1998, Washington, DC
Again, I am thanking the Lord for his blessings on my 82nd birthday. As an addendum to my 82nd birthday, I have reposted a few days ago my article on the Chapel of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in UP Diliman, Q.C. Philippines that was inaugurated on my 21st birthday. My name is one of the one thousand names buried in the Foundation of the Chapel.
Thank you to all my Relatives and Friends who follow my blogs as well as to all my FaceBook friends especially those who had already sent their birthday greetings in my FB page.
Christmas Tree Decorated with White House Ornaments and Personal photo decor
Note: Today is also the 22nd birthday of my grand daughter Alix Katague, oldest daughter of my oldest son, Dodie( Diosdado) Katague.
I will always be 60 years older than Alix.
Christmas Tree-With Outside View facing the Picture Window in our living room.
When our children were growing up and our residence have cathedral ceilings, our Christmas tree every year was a living tree which varies in height from at least 8 to 15 feet. When we retired in 2002, I found it ecologically relevant not to decorate with cut living trees. Therefore, since my retirement in 2002 to the present, we decorate our home with a simple and a small artificial Christmas tree. Decorating with an artificial tree is not messy ( no dropping pine needles) and no watering is required. Our Parol and Belen are however all made and imported from the Philippines. The following are five photos showing our simple Christmas décor in our Living Room.
Christmas Tree-Side View
Another Side View of Tree with Cyclamen in Bloom
Close-up showing family photos and white house tree ornaments
Our Wooden ( lanzones wood) Belen from Paete, Laguna-the Belen is the Pilipino representation of the Nativity scene.
Yesterday, December 16 was the start of Simbang Gabi in the Philippines. The “Simbang Gabi” is a long treasured Philippine tradition originally a series of “dawn masses” for nine consecutive days before Christmas Day. Its liturgical significance emanates from the Season of Advent, being the time of spiritual preparation and purification to worthily welcome and receive the Child Jesus in our midst. The Mass at Dawn, Simbang Gabi, is a nine-day novena to the Blessed Mother. It starts every December 16th and is one of the longest and most important religious celebrations in the Philippines that has lasted over 600 years.
The Simbang Gabi is a time when Catholic churches across the Philippines celebrate mass outdoors in order to accommodate the faithful. At times, when mass is not celebrated outside, the doors of churches are, nevertheless, left wide open to allow attendants to share in the atmosphere of the mass. Its origins began in Mexico, where the practice of holding mass outdoors began, first, in 1587, when the Pope gave permission to Diego de Soria, a Mexican friar, to hold mass outdoors because the churches could not accommodate the huge number of worshipers that came to celebrate Christmas. The novena culminates, on the ninth day, with the Mass of the Gifts, or Misa de Gallo, which celebrates the birth of Jesus.
However, it was not until 1669, during the early years of Christianity, in the Philippines, that the Misa de Gallo became a Philippine spiritual tradition. During Advent, in preparation for the birth of Christ, missionary friars held pre-dawn masses for nine consecutive days, to usher in the event of Jesus' birth. The masses were celebrated very early, usually at 4 in the morning, since they took place during the harvest season, when farmers had to be in the fields at the crack of dawn. The word gallo means rooster, in Spanish. At the first sound of dawn, at the crowing of the rooster, the entire family would get up and walk to the nearest parish church.
During this time, colorful lanterns are hung in every door, window, tree branch, and street corner. Bands play native carols all across town while families, couples, and individuals make their way to the nearest church. Shortly after the mass, people gather in their homes to celebrate Noche Buena and feast on local delicacies made of rice flour, coconut milk and other traditional deserts.
Here in the United States, Filipino immigrants brought with them this distinct tradition which is slowly taking roots and thus the observance of this time honored spiritual and cultural tradition has grown significantly in California, New York, Chicago, New Jersey and even in the Hampton Roads to the point where it has now earned a strong and unequivocal support. Halina Hesus, Halina! (O Come, O Come Emmanuel)
Source for Simbang Gabi: www2.richmomddioscese.org Enjoy the following short video!
