From viral food experiments and pop culture highs to serious moments that made us stop and think, this year captured the heart, humor, and hustle of a generation.

We asked a few people what they could genuinely do with ₱500 for Noche Buena and their answers were honest, hilarious, and painfully relatable.

At first glance, you might think, “It’s just white.” But Cloud Dancer is far from empty; it’s intentional. It’s soft, calming, and airy, like a blank page waiting for a better story.

Suddenly your English teacher is Andres Bonifacio. Barong sleeves rolled up. Red pen ready. Aura screaming: “Sino ang nag-submit nang walang proofread?!”

We may also give thanks for all the little blessings we receive every day, even though we are not aware of them or sometimes even for difficulties.

Kindness isn’t only about the words we use. It’s about the intent behind them, the curiosity to understand rather than judge, the pause before responding so we can choose empathy over ego.

Imagine calmly discussing grammar when your student suddenly asks, “Tutor, who’s that behind you?”

Our feelings are complex and deserve precise language. When we name an emotion accurately, we do more than expand our vocabulary. We validate our own experience and build deeper connections with others.

As 2025 comes to a close, seeing more Filipino words in the Oxford dictionary feels like a proud mic-drop moment for our language. It’s proof that how we speak: colorful, expressive, and full of hugot is shaping global English in its own bongga way.

Listen for the comparison, the exaggeration, the human trait given to a thing. The poetry is hiding in plain sight, waiting to make you feel and speak, just a little more brilliantly. 

Whether it’s exposing shady deals or praising those who walk the talk, we hope that these idioms remind us that words can reveal more than actions alone.

Whether you’re already in your 30s or preparing to enter them, may these words inspire you to trust your path, lean into growth, and keep building the life you dream of, step by step.