How does the Filipino people celebrate Christmas in the Philippines?

Philippine Deep Dive

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Following

Answered by 

Ronna Lou

 

We celebrate it the Filipino way. Let me explain.

As soon as the “-ber months” start (September), we start putting up our Christmas decorations. At the same time, Christmas songs and tunes start to play on TV and radio channels. The most popular ones are from Jose Mari Chan – the king of Filipino Christmas songs.

One fun online tradition we do every year is posting memes of Jose Mari Chan peeking or saying psst! and hello, to remind everyone that the much anticipated Christmas season is coming and that you will soon hear his songs, including the ever famous Christmas in Our Hearts everywhere – in every mall, street, and household in the Philippines.

Aside from this, Filipinos will attend Simbang Gabi, which is the series of nine masses preceding Christmas. Most of us believe that if we complete the nine days, our wish for Christmas will come true.

Lastly, the ever famous Filipino Christmas Feast. Every Christmas Eve, Filipinos will prepare a festive meal, which includes lumpia, lechon, queso de bola, and fruit salad, to name a few. Then, they will gather along with their friends, families, and neighbors to stay until 12 midnight for Christmas Day. This tradition is called Noche Buena.

The Filipino Christmas is one of the most exciting and memorable events, hence why people from all over the world travel to the country to witness and participate in it.

To know more about Filipino Christmas traditions, read about it here: How Filipinos Celebrate Christmas

What do non-Filipinos dislike or hate about the Filipino people?

By David C. Maness

In my experience, there are many funny and quirky things about Filipinos. They point with their lips. They sing karaoke like superstars. They start Christmas at Labor Day. They tend to be warm, talented, hard-working, studious, and down-to-earth practical people who are loyal to their friends and devoted to faith and family. When times are tough, you want to be around Filipinos. When times are good, you want to be around Filipinos.

Filipinos operate well in a hierarchy. They are respectful, even obsequious to authority. They are cabable of extraordinary sacrifice and suffering. They are quick to forgive, even when abused and exploited.

One negative manifestation of these virtues is the generation-after-generation reelection of the same traditional politicians from the same families, over and over and OVER. These oligarchs steal everything they can from the other 99.99% of Filipinos, especially opportunity. Then Filipinos thank their oppressors for the chance to be used.