Ann Tan (front) and Marilyn Tan dish up food at a Filipino Christmas party in Kindersley.

Joan Janzen
of The Clarion

Did you ever wonder how all our Filipino friends in Canada are accustomed to celebrating the Christmas season? If you have, you’ll be happy to know I asked my friend, Grace Tan to tell me all about Christmas in the Philippines.

So I asked what’s the biggest difference between Christmas in Canada and Christmas in the Philippines?

“In the Philippines, Christmas is a really long celebration. Christmas decorating starts in September,” Grace said, adding, “They love Christmas there!”

[emember_protected for=”2″ custom_msg=’For more on this story, please see this week’s print edition of The Clarion.’]

One of their traditional decorations is a star-shaped lantern constructed from bamboo and paper, called a parol. These decorate schools, homes, churches and businesses.

“At work we have a gift exchange for one or two months, and each week has a different theme. For example, the gift could be something funny, but not too expensive.” Grace said. “But at the Christmas party everyone participates in a secret Santa like gift exchange called “monito, monito”. This time the gift is something the recipient will really like.”

There’s entertainment at the office party too, provided by the guests. “The employees are organized into groups, by departments, and each group does some kind of entertainment like singing or dancing. “And if you’re not good at singing or dancing, you stand at the back so no one will see you.” Grace laughed.

Caroling begins a month prior to Christmas when groups of children and adults visit houses, singing their favorite Christmas songs. Then the homeowners reward the carolers with money.

Santa also visits at the Philippines and fills children’s stockings. “And he’s fat just like here.” added Grace.

When Christmas Eve arrives, most people gather at a Christmas Eve church service later in the evening, and then at midnight the feasting begins. A pig is roasted and served along with noodles, fruit, and rice cakes made with coconut, milk and sugar. There’s candy for the children, but chocolate is noticeably absent because it’s very expensive. And, of course, they exchange gifts.

On Christmas Day, parents and children dress up and visit their relatives and godparents, and the children receive gifts of toys or money.

[/emember_protected]

filipino christmas