Christmas in the Philippines

            Christmas celebration in the Philippines is probably one of the most unique Christmas celebration in the world. Why is that so? First, because it is probably the lengthiest Christmas celebration – it begins as early as September and ends as late as the first week of January. Second, there is no snow, for obvious reason. Third is the spirit – Christmas for Filipinos is more than just a holiday celebration. It is the season for Filipinos to come home to be with their families in a long and ritualistic celebration. And last but not the least, are the elements which set Philippine Christmas further apart from the celebrations around the world.

Filipinos, known for their exceptional creativity and craftworks, make special lanterns during the holiday season that is locally known as parol. It comes with a variety of designs, colors, and sizes; the common one being a five-point star with tails at the lower end.

Parols come in different design and shape

These parol lanterns even come in giant sizes, like those being showcased in the Giant Lantern Festival in San Fernando, Pampanga which made the city earn its title “The Christmas Capital of the Philippines” (City of San Fernando Government).

Giant Parols of San Fernando, Pampanga. Note the scale

The collective effort in making these giant parol lanterns, which takes about 365 days depending on the number of workers, plus the effort in staging such festivals, is known in Filipino as the bayanihan spirit, from the root word bayani which means hero. Thus, bayanihan would translate to doing a selfless heroic act of helping others without expecting something in return (David et al). One other thing, the colourful aspect of the parol lanterns may be interpreted as how the Filipinos view life especially at the time when the year is coming to an end and a new one is about to begin because Filipinos are always looking forward to better changes every start of the year, some may even want to start their lives from scratch as a new year begins, especially families who are badly affected by typhoons which made them spend their Christmas on evacuation centers.

Aside from parols, belens are also common sight in the Philippine Christmas, though not as ubiquitous as the parols. A belen is a tableau depicting the birth of Jesus Christ. A belen usually looks like a bahay kubo with the infant Jesus together with Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, surrounded by a shepherd and his flocks, the three Magi, and the angel, St. Gabriel. Belens are usually found in churches, town plazas, municipal halls, and some private establishments.

A typical miniature belen

The symbol and tradition of belen shows the religious side of the Filipinos. Unlike the Western symbols of Christmas which are all about Santa Claus and his reindeers, Christmas trees and the presents underneath, Filipinos, who are predominantly Catholic, have not forgotten the true reason for celebrating Christmas, which is to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.

When it comes to delicacies, Filipinos are no stranger. Two of the must-try’s during this season are the rice cakes called bibingka and puto bumbong, which you are most likely to encounter when you go to Misa de Gallo masses.

Bibingka is like a local version of the western pancakes, made with glutinous rice, with grated cheese, salted egg slices and butter on top. It is cooked on a pot on a makeshift stove with banana leaves underneath it, which adds flavour and aroma.

How bibingka is done

Puto Bumbong, on the other hand, is made with glutinous rice and purple yam. It is cooked inside a bamboo shoot which makes for its elongated appearance. It is also being served with banana leaves, shaved coconut, and sugar. Although these treats are traditionally ideal for Christmas, it can be bought all-year-round on malls and sidewalk stalls throughout the country.

Puto Bumbong being steamed inside a bamboo shoot

The good-vibes nature and creativity of Filipinos are definitely well reflected during the Christmas season. You really can hardly consider yourself a Filipino or at least, one with the Filipinos unless you already had your Philippine Christmas and this arguably makes it one of the best times in the country and one of the best Christmas celebration in the world.

by Tsuyoshi R. Morita

Sources:

City of San Fernando Government. Public Affairs and Media Production Unit. History of the

                  Giant Lantern. 2012. 3 Feb. 2013 <http://cityofsanfernando.gov.ph/new/tourism/glf.php>.

David, Dale Dennis, et al. Filipino Pride. Philippines: Filipino Matters Publishing, 2009.

           Image Sources:

http://www.myparol.com/OurParols.html

http://blog.benetton.com/philippines/2011/10/26/ang-parol-at-ang-paskong-pinoy/

http://www.mb.com.ph/giant-lantern-festival/

http://www.sheaky.com/2012_12_01_archive.html

http://www.spot.ph/eatdrink/47029/top-10-bibingka-in-metro-manila/3

http://langyaw.com/2008/12/16/bibingka-puto-bumbong-and-simbang-gabi/

http://langyaw.com/2008/12/16/bibingka-puto-bumbong-and-simbang-gabi/

http://nodayoffs.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/bibingka-puto-bumbong-and-misa-de-gallo/

http://whydyoueatthat.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/day-23-babingka-puto-bumbong/