I spent most of my childhood living in the north until my family relocated to Cavite. And every time I go back to that time, good old memories of my childhood Christmases at the Araneta Center came to mind. I can still remember the first time I set foot inside the Fiesta Carnival. The magic just overwhelmed me and I had to stand in awe at the entrance, unbelieving of the wonders right before me. Then of course, there’s the traditional Christmas tree lighting every year which never fails to elicit a tear or two from my mom. And I will never forget how we usually end our Christmas shopping spree with a stick of my favorite chicken barbecue and a slice of my favorite pizza. Then, we (my parents, little brother and sister) would go home to wait another year until our next trip to wonderland.

The child I used to be really thought it would never end, until my dad died and we had to move elsewhere. Life had to go on, the child in me had to grow up fast and the memories of those wonderful Christmases were set aside and forgotten. Little did I know that 15 years later, a single bite of a pizza would cause all those memories to come flooding back.

I must admit, the Tuscani BBQ Chicken Pizza looked really weird in the brochure at first. But I am such a big fan of pizza that I would devour anything with cheese and a crust. I was also looking forward to taste something new. So, I decided to try this latest offering from Pizza Hut.

When the pizza delivery arrived, we crowded at the table for a slice. But the moment I opened the box, I was taken aback. The smell wafting from the pizza gave me a feeling of déjà vu. With a smile on my face, I reached for the camera and took these priceless photos of my mom and siblings before the pizza disappeared.

While the smell surprised me, my first taste of the Tuscani BBQ Chicken Pizza will stay with me for the rest of my life. The tangy sweetness of the honey barbecue sauce mixed with the delectable concoction of flavorful vegetable toppings, chicken, and olive oil was nothing short of divine. The crust was surprisingly crisp and chewy at the same time. The honey barbecue sauce was never too strong and gave just the right amount of kick to the chicken. The olive oil, on the other hand, lends this pizza the rich and authentic taste of Italy.  All of a sudden, I was a 10-year-old kid eating my favorite meal at the Araneta Center again. For a change, I need not hold a stick and mess my mouth with barbecue sauce. With just one bite, I get a taste of Italy and all those childhood memories back.

For the first time, I began to notice that my little siblings were all grown up. And my mom, with her graying hair, will turn 60 very soon. I suddenly realized that dealing with the loss of my dad for 15 years had brought us all closer to each other. It’s been a roller coaster ride all these years. But the struggles and challenges we encountered made us stronger and helped us to appreciate the simple joys and small blessings in our lives.

So, I’m joining this contest to share to the world my extraordinary pizza moment with the hope that I might be able to win the 20,000 worth of Araneta Center GCs. It would be really nice to go back to the place where I had all those wonderful childhood Christmases of the past to make some new memories with my family. Seeing the big smile on my family’s face when I buy them the item on their wish list would truly add flavor and meaning to our Christmas this year.  And just like all those childhood Christmases spent with my dad, this one will definitely be one for the books. My dad may be gone but I know that he would want us to celebrate Christmas like he did…like it used to be.

***IN MEMORY OF DAD, MY PERSONAL SANTA CLAUS AND NOW MY GUARDIAN ANGEL IN HEAVEN.***