Christmas in my country
There’s no other country in the world where the Christmas season is celebrated longer. The spirit of the season begins here early October but the official Christmas week starts December 16 with the onset of the “Simbang Gabi” (Evening mass though it’s held at dawn). It’s the Catholic churches’ tradition but some other denominations have adopted it too with their own versions.
And it won’t
be Christmas without the traditional “Puto bumbong” , Steamed rice cooked in a special way and the “Bibingka”, another rice delicacy, usually sold in carts or wheeled stalls in the street sides, waiting for those who’ve been to the church. The “Simbang Gabi” ends on Dec. 25
Unlike in other countries, we open our gifts on Christmas Eve and not Christmas morning. We have the midnight dinner (Noche Buena) which takes place at 12 AM. It’s a sort of immediate family reunion where the grandparents (if alive still), the parents, the children and the grandkids have dinner together (given they live near each other).
Originally, we don’t have Santa (No chimneys) and I do
n’t know why many is adopting him at Christmas now, we don’t hang stockings either and instead of a tree, we have lanterns. Traditions of the Filipino Christmas are swiftly changing, being influenced too much by the western culture and commercialism.
In my family, we minimally follow traditions. The only thing we’ve kept is the midnight family dinner and the opening of gifts (for the kids and for fun). We strongly believe that the birth of Christ should be celebrated, and people should give love, all year round.
And it won’t
be Christmas without the traditional “Puto bumbong” , Steamed rice cooked in a special way and the “Bibingka”, another rice delicacy, usually sold in carts or wheeled stalls in the street sides, waiting for those who’ve been to the church. The “Simbang Gabi” ends on Dec. 25Unlike in other countries, we open our gifts on Christmas Eve and not Christmas morning. We have the midnight dinner (Noche Buena) which takes place at 12 AM. It’s a sort of immediate family reunion where the grandparents (if alive still), the parents, the children and the grandkids have dinner together (given they live near each other).
Originally, we don’t have Santa (No chimneys) and I do
n’t know why many is adopting him at Christmas now, we don’t hang stockings either and instead of a tree, we have lanterns. Traditions of the Filipino Christmas are swiftly changing, being influenced too much by the western culture and commercialism.In my family, we minimally follow traditions. The only thing we’ve kept is the midnight family dinner and the opening of gifts (for the kids and for fun). We strongly believe that the birth of Christ should be celebrated, and people should give love, all year round.
Comments