Christmas Preparation & Celebration - Philippines

Paskong Pinoy is one of the world's longest running Christmas celebrations, usually beginning as early as the arrival of the "-ber" months (September, October, and so on). Filipinos from all over spend this entire season with enormously rich yuletide traditions of merry-making observed up to the present day.The word Pasko is derived from the Spanish "Pascua de Natividad", which literally means "Easter of the Nativity." However the word "pascua" is associated with "solemnity" or "celebration" for the Spanish, and used for other religious feasts. Historical records show that even before Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines in 1521, an Italian Franciscan friar named Odoric de Perdenon and his colleagues had already landed on the shores of Pangasinan (formerly called “Thalma-sin”). Their arrival marked the country's first Christmas Mass as de Perdenone celebrated a Natale Mass with a group of native folk on the 25th of December. It was only later in 1565, during Miguel Lopez de Legaspi's rule, when the first official celebration of the Feast of the Nativity happened.However, even before Spanish colonizers came to the country, the natives had long been practicing thanksgiving rituals in the early mornings before working in the fields. Thus, Filipinos' Christmas traditions at present have their roots in this practice.

Christmas season is the most awaited celebration for the Filipino people. It is the best time of the year for Filipinos who worked overseas, and those who migrated to other countries to visit their homeland, the Philippines and spend holidays with their loved ones. Young and old are excited when Christmas season comes. Everybody is busy decorating their houses and offices with sparkling "parol" or lanterns, putting colorful Christmas lights, preparing for Christmas party, buying and wrapping of gifts, cooking different recipes for relatives and friends to partake, travel to other provinces to visit relatives, enjoying the holidays with loved ones.
In the Philippines, the spirit of Christmas filled in the air starting on the month of September. You can hear Christmas songs played in Malls, radio stations and even in their homes. People will start to decorate their houses, offices, business areas like malls, restaurants and even in parks and plazas. Colorful Christmas lights. lanterns and Christmas trees are present everywhere which make everybody feels that Christmas is here. It adds to the excitement of the Filipinos to see Christmas promos and sale of all goods in most department stores. malls and supermarkets. Almost all business sectors have their own way of promoting their business On Christmas season. Most Filipinos, young and old are looking forward to this time of the year. Here's how they prepare for Christmas celebration.

What makes the Filipino Christmas unique? Filipinos have a lot of Christmas tradition which makes us different from the other, here are some of them.

• Parol - Filipino Christmas Lantern As early as November, Filipinos houses offices, schools, shoppingmalls and even streets are adorned with these star-shaped multicolored lanterns.

• Filipino Christmas Tradition - Simbang Gabi "Simbang Gabi" a Filipino Christmas tradition, it is is a series of nine (9) dawn masses, the mass starts as early as 4:00 a.m. It begins on December 16 and ends on the midnight of the 24th of December.
• Monito Monita - Exchange GiftsChristmas is the season of gift giving. In keeping with the tradition of giving, Filipinos have their own version of exchanging gifts or Kris Kringle, it is called Monito - Monita
•  Christmas Caroling in the Philippines  - Once the "Simbang Gabi" starts, children like to form groups and enjoy hopping from one house to another every night singing Jingle Bells, Silent Night and traditional Filipino Christmas songs.