Holiday Season in Pinas (Philippines)!

Hi Everyone! Holiday season is almost over!

Good news, my gifts were already given to my friends and loved ones. Yey! <3
But you know what, Christmas is not just about gift giving. It is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, The symbol of love to everyone.

I want to share with you guys, what it feels like to have a Christmas here in the Philippines..
We begin the celebration of Christmas early! Around September, Christmas decorations are set up and Christmas carols are already in the air. “Parol” (star-shaped Christmas lantern with blinking lights is a mainstay as decorations! Of course Christmas Trees are put as early as November! Christmas Bonus is being looked forward to! $$$$ Everyone gets busy buying gifts! While they are material, gifts symbolize sharing and showing love to one another!
Puto bumbong and bibingka are some of the delicacies we all love and enjoy during this season. It is must “pasalubong” during late nights or early in the morning after attending the Simbang Gabi (4AM Holy Mass) for nine days novena. It starts on 16th of December. While we attend the simbang gabi, we make a request to the Lord which He answers when we are able to finish the nine days Novena. After Simbang gabi it ain’t complete without puto bumbong and bibingka being bought for breakfast. It goes best with hot coffee or chocolate drink.

Holiday Season is the time when families, friends and OFWs come home bringing gifts for their loved ones. They spend a lot of time going around different places. Families get together for reunions. Friends who are busy with their individual daily lives reconnect with each other for catching up. Everybody gets busy buying gifts. Dates are blocked for parties where food usually is overflowing and you just have to forget about your diet. HAHAHAHA! It is indeed a season of love and sharing!

Christmas eve is always a big anticipation… we all celebrate the birth of Jesus! Families go to church together to attend Holy Mass. After that, we all gather around the table of food for our Noche Buena! This is followed by games, singing (Videoke)and exchanging of gifts! Here comes Santa Claus! Ho ho ho ho!
The 25th of December is a day for kids to go to their Ninongs and Ninangs (Godparents) to pay respect by “Pagmamano” (an "honoring-gesture" used in Filipino culture performed as a sign of respect to elders and as a way of accepting a blessing from the elder. Similar to hand-kissing, the person giving the greeting bows towards the offered hand of the elder and presses his or her forehead on the elder's hand). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ . In turn they give gifts to their “inaaanak” (godchild). A few days break follows Christmas as some return to work prior to the New Year!

(Photo credits to Erica Fabiliana on Godchild)

New year comes and everybody makes some noiiiiise! With previous New Year celebrations, even days before there were already firecrackers, and fireworks being sold and Bang! Bang! Bang! … they go! These days however, the firecrackers were banned for safety reasons and it is good that people are following the new rule! Did it hinder us from making noooooiiiiiiise? Of course not! We make noise by blowing horn or through some other means! This is to ensure that bad spirits would leave the vicinities of our homes! For prosperity, 12 different fruits will have to be on the table, at the strike of 12MN of the 31st of December coins are thrown going inside the house and one wears Polka dots dress…. The bigger the polka dots the better! The young jumps the highest they could hoping they would grow taller… A lot of singing, games, and partying follows as family and friends come together to welcome a Happy New year!

In thanksgiving we always praise God for all the blessings He showered on us and look forward to a more prosperous and God blessed New Year!

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