“Samaybahay ang aming bati!” is the familiar song many Filipinos grew up hearing when caroling was still a regular Christmas tradition, filling homes with festive cheer even when the carolers were not quite singing in sync.

The kalantsing, or rattle, of homemade tambourines was often enough to spark the Christmas spirit, while the loud, sometimes off-key but joyful voices of children added a layer of nostalgia to the season.

Imagine listening to them sing old, familiar Tagalog Christmas songs while sitting on your porch, Christmas lights blinking behind you. These are the kinds of moments that take you back to a time when you, too, went from house to house singing carols.

But then comes the word “PATAWAD,” which means sorry or forgive me. It is a polite expression commonly used by residents when Christmas carolers knock on their doors, signaling that they have no money or gifts to give.

And yet, Filipinos often have something to give, if not much, then at least enough to make young carolers smile.

Many have become so preoccupied with the world that they forget the simple beauty happening around them. Carolers are shunned away with a quick “PATAWAD,” as if they were a nuisance.

“We cannot even give them the time of the day to listen to their singing, why? We are so preoccupied with our phones that we do not have time for anything else,” one person said.

The author believes that if people could spare even a few moments to listen, this cherished tradition could be preserved, along with the homemade tambourines and tin-can drums.

Why not give a small amount to these young carolers and tell them what you would like to hear next time? They might practice their singing for you. You can even suggest other Christmas songs they could learn.

So instead of saying “PATAWAD,” let them sing “Thank you, thank you, ang babait ninyo thank you!” for a change. It might just lighten your heart this Christmas.