Sweet Life With Mary

Jack went to visit his mom and sister in Iowa last week and when he was getting ready to return, he asked me what I would like for pasalubong? Good hubby, knows exactly what to say to his Pinay wife.

Then, he asks, “What is MY pasalubong?”

“No, that’s not what the word means in Tagalog— YOU are supposed to bring presents to the ones you left behind, NOT us welcome you with a gift.”

“But I’m Swedish and that’s what the word means to me.”

“Then, you come up with your own Swedish word.”

Pasalubong is a Tagalog word meaning “souvenir”. In the Philippines it has acquired the meaning of a small gift or souvenir from someone travelling either whilst visiting or upon returning home. The literal meaning of pasalubong is to “greet”, “surprise” or “meet with”.

Pasalubong is very popular among Filipinos if good relations are to be maintained. Pasalubong can range from food items such as fruits, imported confectionery goods and other sweets. Pasalubong can also be other items such as shirts, novelty items, knives and toys etc. If it is something that can be bought or wrapped, it’s a pasalubong. Pasalubong is also used in daily or frequent interactions or greetings with family members commonly when coming home from work. Fastfood, toys, snacks or fruits are given to family members as a sign of thoughtfulness and care to them.

Retrieved from “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasalubong“

In my family in the Philippines, another word we use is “uwi” - the Tagalog word for “come home.”  My youngest sister, Val, who was in her toddler years when I was in high school would send me off to school with “Bye, Ingat (take care), Uwian mo ‘ko… (Bring me a present…)”  She wanted to be assured that I remember her when I am away from her, sometimes, even if it is just a piece of mint candy that I took from home that morning and when I get home, give to her— she is satisfied with that.  Pasalubong need not be anything expensive or elaborate.

My mom will NOT ever think of coming back home from a trip to the mall without bringing something home to my Dad— usually, its cinnamon rolls from Goldilocks, fried chicken from Jollibee, munchkins from Dunkin Donuts, etc.

Dad worked from home so it is not a daily occurence that he is out late in the day.  When he did go out to meet with clients in the evenings, his pasalubong is worth staying up for— pizza from a pizza place that we do not frequent, a whole bucket of KFC chicken, siopao (meat-filled rice buns) from Kowloon restaurant, imported chocolate bars or potato chips, food that we do not normally get around the house.

Especially for expatriate Filipinos who still have close ties in the Philippines, the matter of pasalubong is a great consideration when planning a homecoming.  I do not have any firm plans yet for my next trip to the Philippines but there is a box in my house that is slowly getting filled with gifts.  One has to do this or it will be overwhelming to have to purchase all these presents at one time. Gifts for one’s immediate family, then, the extended family, then, friends, and then, for people who happened to stop by because they heard someone from “abroad” has just arrived.

I’m sure other cultures have their own traditions about presents and the act of gift-giving.  The Filipino tradition of pasalubong is one that I am passing on to my daughter and very much observed in our household.

So what were Jack’s pasalubong to me? I truly did not know what I wanted from Iowa so when I heard that his sister was making pumpkin bread, I said, “Ok, how about a loaf of that fresh-baked pumpkin bread.”

He brought home TWO of those AND a bag of Black Licorice (I have recently developed an intense liking to all things licorice and was quite put out that there are not that many different kinds at our local Walmart or grocery stores) AND Cherry Mash (this was featured at one of the Food Network shows and I expressed my curiosity on how they tasted as I have never seen them locally).  Now, if these do not show thoughtfulness and caring, I don’t know what will.

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