Family get together
By Toni
@toniganzon (77310)
Philippines
August 28, 2021 8:01pm CST
Though my parents have been dead for 30 years, we still celebrate their birthday with a small dinner party. Just our immediate family. It’s the only time me and my siblings would actually gather together with our children.
My mom’s birth date is August 25th but we decided to celebrate it on a Saturday coz it’s the only time everybody’s available. This could be the last party in my parents’ house. We do plan to demolish the house, construct a commercial building and have it for lease. The house is situated in a commercial area now and it’s the most ideal place for business. So it has been agreed in a family meeting months ago, that it’s time to let this house go.
This house has been in existence since World War II, owned by a relative who later on sold it to my parents. Don’t know much about the history of this house but i know this is where i spent a lot of fun times with my siblings and my parents.
Makes me a bit sad to think that soon this house will only be just a memory.
17 people like this
15 responses
@Vikingswest1 (7443)
• United States
29 Aug 21
That's such a bittersweet story.
It's really a nice thing that you all gather to celebrate. After my parents passed, it kind of split us six kids apart.
I know it's best and agreed by everyone to sell their home but it's sad to lose the place you grew up in.
I hope this last celebration is happy and you enjoy every second.
2 people like this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
29 Aug 21
We talked about politics which we always do and laugh about it. No arguments.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
29 Aug 21
@Vikingswest1 me too. My siblings and i aren’t that sentimental actually or we just refuse to be. We don’t like drama in our lives.
@Vikingswest1 (7443)
• United States
29 Aug 21
@toniganzon
I'm glad you had this chance to meet there for the last time.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (98129)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
29 Aug 21
Good that you still celebrate their birthdays, It is sad about the house but I guess it is best for you to let it go. I always wished there had been a family home for me to always return to but we always lived in apartments in NYC and then is Latvia I had a house but sold that and so now it is back to an apartment and now I am all alone, At least you will have photos and great memories,
2 people like this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
29 Aug 21
Yes and I’ll always have my siblings back. Even though we won’t be having this home anymore, we would still continue to celebrate our parents’ birthdays in one of ours houses.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (41028)
• Philippines
31 Aug 21
That is sad that you have to demolish it soon. But I guess it's better to monetize the property than have it there idle most of the time. I think your parents will understand that too. I think you should have a picture of it to capture it for the last time so you can have some memories documented.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
31 Aug 21
That house has tons of pictures when they were alive. There's always a huge party in that house with distinguished guest including the late brother of Mar Roxas.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (41028)
• Philippines
31 Aug 21
@toniganzon That is nice but I think the last picture you will take will have an impact on you before you decide to have them demolished and make it a commercial one.
1 person likes this
@sjvg1976 (42727)
• Delhi, India
29 Aug 21
It seems to be a very old house. I remember I was also upset when my house where I was born and spent my childhood was reconstructed for commercial use. We also wanted to give it on the rent. I had lots of memories associated with that house. It's been 4 years since we have left that house.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
29 Aug 21
None of us were upset about this decision though. We’re all ok with it. Along with good memories, this house is also a painful reminder of how we lost our parents. It’s time to let it go.
1 person likes this
@sjvg1976 (42727)
• Delhi, India
29 Aug 21
@toniganzon but we had good remembrances related to our house. We were upset but glad also because it's not easy to live in the commercial areas as it became so congested.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
29 Aug 21
@sjvg1976 the new house we’re constructing is just less than 5km from this house. And it’s also next to our business establishment. That’s why when I work here on weekends, i stay in my parents’ house. It’s a perfect business location. A must sought after place. And we don’t have any plans to sell it. So we plan to build a commercial building and lease it out. Some companies have offered to lease the lot and they will build their own building and after the lease contract, we acquire the building. But we haven’t decided on that yet. We decided once we move to our new house.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
30 Aug 21
Yes and we are moving on without any bitterness. A little excited of moving to the new house but I’ll be there only on weekends and during holidays.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
31 Aug 21
@LadyDuck yeah, we must only keep the good ones.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502812)
• Italy
31 Aug 21
@toniganzon This is what is hardest, forget the bad moments.
1 person likes this
@angelitovillegas (1360)
• Angeles City, Philippines
29 Aug 21
That is the bad side of progress! We sometimes need to sacrifice things that were sentimental to us!
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
29 Aug 21
Yes but being sentimental won’t help us either. At least it would be useful for our family’s future.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
29 Aug 21
@angelitovillegas Filipinos are quite known for that. We are not that really sentimental.
1 person likes this
@angelitovillegas (1360)
• Angeles City, Philippines
29 Aug 21
@toniganzon sometimes it's hard to let go of the sttufs that once in our lives were been precious! But life is a constant change!
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (59827)
• Philippines
29 Aug 21
Sorry to hear about the houe being demolished.
At least, on enew structure will be build on the same spot.
Think of it as a phoenix rising from the ashes.
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (59827)
• Philippines
31 Aug 21
@toniganzon 
Hope it is finished soon.
Hope it is finished soon.1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
30 Aug 21
My mom did plan to put up a commercial complex there. Not in the exact same spot where the house is but our vacant lot next to the house. But since we have our own houses now and though i spend my time there with my brother every weekend, we haven’t really renovated the house. So one reason why we’re building a new one now where we could move but I’ll be there only during the weekend, is because we’d turn the area into a commercial one.
1 person likes this
@Letranknight2015 (52665)
• Philippines
30 Aug 21
Take a picture of it as much as you can. But you need to be practical and earn money for your family. My grandma still has land in our province which hasn't been rebuilt yet due to lack of money. But if we did have money then we would also make a commercial area on that place.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
31 Aug 21
We’re done with the picture taking. That house has a lot of photos from when my parents were alive. Lots of parties went on in that house.
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
30 Aug 21
Thank you but we’re not sorry. We just look forward to moving as soon as possible.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128842)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Aug 21
You should make sure to take lots of photos of the house for keepsake memories after it is gone. And although it has lots of sentimental value, I agree that putting a commercial building there would be in the best financial interest of your family. I'm sure you will always cherish the memories you have of your parents' home.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
30 Aug 21
I don’t think we’ll be taking lots of pictures. That house has lots pictures already from when my parents were still alive. We always had big parties back then in that house.
2 people like this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
31 Aug 21
Yes we do. And now the house is all worn out and we just have to give it a rest too. @moffittjc
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128842)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Aug 21
@toniganzon Oh, that's good, it means you already have lots of memories and keepsake photos from the house.
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@JESSY3236 (22287)
• United States
31 Aug 21
that's sad. I was sad when my uncle sold my grandmother's house.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
1 Sep 21
We are moving forward and we’ve been sad for 30 years. So we’re done with it.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222806)
• United States
29 Aug 21
Very bittersweet. What a nice tradition that your family has. I'm sorry that the house will have to be demolished though.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
30 Aug 21
Thank you. We aren’t sorry though. We’re moving forward. We will keep the good memories we have but that house also a reminder of how we lost our parents.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
30 Aug 21
We hardly speak to each other but when it comes to our parents’ special day, we do get together.
2 people like this
@merrybelle2021 (1394)
• Philippines
29 Aug 21
it must have been constructed well to be still standing since WW2.
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@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
30 Aug 21
Very well. It’s made of great materials. One of those big houses in the past. That’s why we’re planning to repurpose some of the materials there.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
1 Sep 21
We have not decided on that yet since we have not move into the new house. We still have months to think what to do with those. @merrybelle2021
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@merrybelle2021 (1394)
• Philippines
31 Aug 21
@toniganzon What about the contents like furniture, cutlery, decorations, etc? Will you be take some, sell and/or donate the rest?
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77310)
• Philippines
30 Aug 21
I’m sorry. We don’t have every intention to sell any of our parents’ properties. In fact we had several offers in the past not in this house but in one of our properties located in an exclusive subdivision. We simply had to say no. I think as long as we won’t be needing the money, not a single property owned by my parents will go to strangers.
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