The celebrations of Christmas in the Philippines have deep influences of Catholicism, tracing their roots back to Spanish colonial rule from 1521 to 1898. Currently, the Philippines holds the longest running festivity of the Christmas season in the world, which begins on September 1.
I am happy and blessed to be able to spend the 25th Christmas in the Philippines. I really love it. Because in the Philippines, they start counting down to Christmas day in September. Yes, they count down from 100 days to Christmas, so it indeed starts essentially at the beginning of September. Every time the TV announces this, they play a quick Christmas song. I had to do the same while I was still a radio host in Davao City.
Over time, this habit spread into other places so most Department stores start stocking and displaying Christmas ornaments in September, and so on.
It’s bizarre even for some actual people who live in the Philippines because not only do they start “Celebrating” Christmas that early, but they keep celebrating it well after Christmas until the end of January which is when they typically take down their decorations. And thus, the Philippines essentially has two seasons… Summer and Christmas.
Filipinos are creators of joy, happiness and calmness. One may criticize Filipinos but the fact is, they teach us a lot . The first world has money but the Filipinos have joy, smiles and happiness. Religion: The missionaries brought religion and they left it while Filipinos hold it as their own. The truth is if they have freedom of love, marriages between foreigners and Pinay, indeed it is an outcome of religion.
Consider that before Philippines is highly westernized, it’s also highly christianized.
Christmas marks one of the most important event in the Christian world and Philippines takes that to the extreme levels. Halloween on the other hand is a low key event, much less important than All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (another Christian holidays). And you know, Filipinos always have an excuse to be happy.
Indeed it is very popular. As everywhere the stores start the Xmas songs in the last week of August. People who work in the cities go back to the provinces to celebrate with family and many OFWs, people working overseas, are going home for Xmas. Traffic in Manila is always slow, but in December walking is faster. 24th is a normal working day, for those who did not go to the provinces, but the 25th is Xmas, very little transport, all stores are closed and basically no public transport.
Actually midnight between 24th and 25th starts Noche Buena, eating and drinking. This of course goes until early morning, which explains the empty streets too. On the 26th life is back to normal. Less people than normal, because many are still in the provinces.
Advent as in Germany is unknown. But Catholics have some services I think daily starting a week before Xmas at midnight or very early in the morning.
Again, as a German living in the Philippines, I really love it here and now.
Malagayang Pasko and Merry Christmas!
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