Christmas is indubitantly one of the much-awaited and grandly-celebrated holidays of the year. It is a time where families gather together and express gratitude to the bountiful blessings that had sweetly poured into their humble abode.
Christmas is also a season of forgiveness; a perfect moment to cast off grudges and revivify relationships marred by petty misunderstandings or inconsequential disputes.
In many countries around the globe, the celebration of Christmas lasts a week or so. However, in the Philippines, the season of thanksgiving and merriment is being celebrated for over three weeks and is regarded as the longest Christmas celebration in the world. Aside from it being the longest, Filipinos do unique stuffs every Christmas which make the celebration even more exceptional and different from that of others.
Take a look at how Pinoys relish the yuletide season with these unique and exclusive Christmas practices.
On Wishes and Sticky Stuffs
Pinoys’ celebration of Christmas won’t be complete without the practice of Simbang-gabi. It has been a tradition wherein Filipinos go to church and attend a series of 9 dawn masses which starts on December 16th and ends on the midnight of December 24th. During this time, the churches, which are beautifully adorned with colorful Christmas decorations, are flocked with people who believe that if they would fervently attend Simbang-gabi in exactly nine days, they could have one wish and it could most likely be granted by the Lord.
Simbang-gabi is also a great time to munch on some scrumptious foods that appear only during Christmas season. One of these is called “puto bumbong”, a purple and sticky delicacy cooked in upright bamboo tubes. Pinoys savor its subtle sweet taste and take it as a perfect hunger-reliever after a slightly starving one-hour mass.
Another mouth-watering Christmas delicacy is “bibingka”, a flat cake served on banana leaves and topped with a pat of melted butter and grated coconut. There are other Filipino food favorites during Christmas season like tsokolate, salabat, ensaymada, leche flan, imported keso de bola, roasted kastanyas, hamon, especially jamón dulce and a Noche Buena must-have lechon or litson.
On Overrated Carols and Costumes
“Sa may bahay ang aming bati…,” this is probably the most widely used Christmas carol by Filipino kids who will knock on one’s door come December 16th although some are pretty much earlier, and in gleeful voices, will ask for a penny or two in return for their overrated and mostly out of tune Christmas carols. Some would give them money and others would offer them cookies and candies. At times, some would cut them off though they have scarcely begun singing and would say “Patawad sa Pasko na lang…” which means they wouldn’t get any cookie, candy or a single penny but they could comeback on Christmas day and expect a grander gift.
Christmas caroling isn’t just exclusive for Pinoy kids because even teens and adults engage in this. They would form their own group and some would even don Christmas hats as costumes. Then they would merrily visit one house after another, belting out their finely-rehearsed Christmas songs.
On Fine Adornments and Thingabobs
We can not say that Filipino Christmas would be complete and at its most without the well-known traditional Philippine Christmas symbols and decorations. Yes, due to Americanization, decorations such as Santa Claus, Christmas trees, tinsel, faux evergreens, reindeer, and snow have become popular. But despite these, the Philippines still retains its time-honored decorations. Every Christmas season you would see Filipino homes and buildings are adorned with beautiful star lanterns, called parol. These lanterns represent the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Magi, also known as the Three Kings (Tatlóng Harì in Tgalog). If Westerners do have Christmas trees, Filipinos have their much-loved Parols.
The earliest parols were made from simple materials like bamboo, Japanese rice paper (known as "papél de Hapón") or crêpe paper, and was lit by a candle or coconut oil-lamp for illumination; although the present-day parol has endless promising shapes and forms and is made of a variety of materials.
The earliest parols were made from simple materials like bamboo, Japanese rice paper (known as "papél de Hapón") or crêpe paper, and was lit by a candle or coconut oil-lamp for illumination; although the present-day parol has endless promising shapes and forms and is made of a variety of materials.
Another traditional Filipino Christmas symbol is the belén -- a creche or tableau depicting the Birth of Christ. Derived from the Spanish name for Bethlehem, Belén, it depicts the infant Jesus in the manger, surrounded by the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, the shepherds, their flock, the Magi and some stable animals, and is surmounted by an angel, the Star or both.
Belens can be seen in homes, churches, schools and even office buildings. The ones on office buildings can be overly flamboyant and extravagant, using different materials for the figures and using Christmas lights, parols, and painted background scenery.
A notable outdoors belen in Manila is the one that used to be at the COD building in Cubao, Quezon City. In 2003, the belen was transferred to the Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan when the COD building closed down. This belen is a lights and sounds presentation, the story being narrated over speakers set up and most probably using automatons to make the figures move up and down, or turn, etc.
Indeed, Filipinos have a cool and unique celebration of the yuletide season. Throughout the years, they have observed many of their exclusive Christmas practices and kept them as traditions. More importantly, every Pinoy knows that Christmas isn’t just about the vibrant decors that please the eyes or the delectable delicacies that satisfy the stomach but it is more about sharing gifts and giving hope and love to each and everyone.
May the true spirit of Christmas be with us this season.
Photos and Gif images from Google
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