Christmas in the Philippines

Christmas is just around the corner and a majority of people in the world celebrate this holiday.

In the Philippines, specifically in the province where I grew up, we start the spirit as early as September. September 1st marks the first day of Christmas music played in the air and Christmas decorations being displayed in any department store and in most homes. People begins to worry where to get money to buy gifts for loved ones and godchildren and to buy fancy food to put on the table on Christmas eve. Lucky are those who got jobs with 13th month pay to look forward to. 13th month pay (equivalent to a month salary) is given by employers usually in November or 15th of December as Christmas bonus to their employees.

Kids on the other hand also starts caroling from house to house to raise money. Imagine how many groups of them keep coming to each house every night from September to December. Others would even extend it till January. Would you believe it? Yes, it's very true and a lot of times it drained my patience. But i also realized that to make these kids happy is very uplifting especially when some of them have really nothing.

Families also get reunited during this season. Family members who are away from home, some of them works abroad would really find time and money to get home to attend the family reunion. Its a very joyful and fun-filled celebration.

In department stores and grocery shops, people are congesting on the 24th of December panicking to buy special food to serve on Christmas eve and buy gifts to exchange with the family members. In parties, drinking, dancing and singing thru videoke are the usual activities and exchanging gifts. Unavoidably, some gets drunk and groggy.In the streets, adults and children alike are burning firecrackers to mark the time of Christmas at 12 midnight, the time they believe Jesus was born. People's goals are to be merry and to make others merry.Christmas decorations are put away not until after the first week of January. Gift giving still continues around that time.

For me, whether you believe Christmas or not and whether Christmas time or not, to give is always the best that we can do. It's not necessarily money or in kind but it can be love or a smile for those who need it.