My grandparents on both sides were very religious. That's why it was customary to see the Sto. Nino in their houses.
One of my fondest memories of the Sto. Nino is how Lola Dita had an image of the Sto. Ninn de Dormido - or the sleeping Sto. Nino. She had it in the altar of their room and it always caught my eye because it's so different from the image we're used to.
While the traditional Sto. Nino is smiling, wearing a crown and an elegant robe, carrying a staff and a globe, the Sto. Nino de Dormido is peacefully sleeping. I'd always stare at his serene and smiling face, which would also make me smile.
In the Regalado's ancestral home in Malinao, the room that we'd usually sleep in also had a Sto. Nino which was perched on an altar, up on the wall. It's memorable because it had red, candle-like bulbs that would flicker. And when we'd close the lights to go to sleep, the altar would remain lit. That would be the light that would illuminate the room and would watch over us as we slept.
Two other notable Sto. Nino stories are right here at home, right now.
We have 2 images of the Sto. Nino in our altar, and both are heirlooms of sorts. The 1st one, a Sto. Nino made of either plaster or concrete - is a lot older than me. I think it's been there even before Kuya Marv was born, which makes it at least 60 years old. The 2nd one is at least 40 years old, because I remember it's been there since I was a kid.
It's such a blessing to look back at my childhood, especially when it's in honour of the Child Jesus.
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