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“The Celebrations and Traditions That Make It Colorful”

When the “-ber” months take their turn in every Filipino home’s calendar, almost everything around transforms into something that would represent, symbolize, and stand for Christmas. This is true here in the Philippines, where Christmas is said to be celebrated longer and merrier compared to almost everywhere in the world. When the first day of September comes, things that are seen, heard, felt, sniffed and even tasted suddenly turns Christmas-like.

When fancy and glittering Christmas lights start to line up and glow in public places (some of which also display, gigantic and amusing Christmas trees, Santa Claus models, man-made Nativity models and other Christmas decorations) like malls, stores, parks and even private and government offices, one can easily feel the beginning of the holidays. This is accompanied by Christmas songs over the radio, caroling children, Christmas bazzars and sales promotions and people heading to and from stores to buy things from their Christmas list. Somehow this gives the feeling of merriment head on.

While all of these seem to describe a modern Christmas celebration and some that are “copied” from the Western culture, there are still many Filipino Christmas and New Years traditions that are still being observed that stood the test of time even after centuries of change in the people’s way of living.

Misa de Gallo (Early-morning Mass)

Literally, it means midnight mass like its Tagalog term Simbang Gabi. The Misa de Gallo is actually held during early dawn usually starting from 3:00 – 4:00 in the morning from December 16-24. The tradition started during the Spanish-colonial time when priests celebrate masses early in the morning instead of having it in the evening for farmers to be able to attend without staying up late. Today, the tradition is still observed anywhere in the country and in every parish, and continues to attract younger and younger generations, most of which aim to complete the “nine mornings” in the belief that their wishes will be fulfilled.

This tradition always goes with the selling of Filipino delicacies — bibingka and puto bungbong, which have always been a favorite among the mass attendees.

Kris Kringle and Christmas Parties

It is also a tradition in the Philippines that, companies, schools and other institutions hold a Christmas party before the Christmas break. The traditional Filipino version of Kris Kringle called “Monito-Monita” or easily understood as exchanging of gifts usually happen during these parties. Food, games and other fun activities are also held.

Christmas Eve Mass

Filipinos, especially those that are Catholic devotees believe that the celebration of Christmas would never be substantial unless they attend the Christmas Eve Mass. Usually starts around 8:00-10:00 in the evening of December 24 with the last mass undergoing until the first hour of December 25.

Noche Buena

Noche Buena or the Christmas Eve dinner follows shortly after the mass, this is held in every home where members of the family gather together to share a sumptuous meal. Commonly shared during this midnight feast are roasted pig (lechon baboy), queso de bola, ham, cakes (western and Filipino), barbeque and other Filipino delicacies which often goes with wine, beer, and other liquor. This usually lasts for more than an hour or until morning depending on the plans of the family. It is also here that some families take the time to exchange Christmas gifts.

Family Reunion

Indeed, Christmas time, is usually the time where families and other relatives gather together mostly in the house of their elders. Christmas seems to be the best time of the year to hold such activities because of the Christmas break being enjoyed by students and workers. This is ideal for those who want to make their Noche Buena more festive and merrier. There are even those that make this an annual tradition for the whole family.

Christmas Day

Mostly spent with friends after having shared the Christmas Eve with their families, this is also the time where most Christmas parties and outings among friends are held. In the morning, many flock the Misa de Aguinaldo or the mass of Thanksgiving for the Birth of Christ. This is usually held around 9:00 or 10:00 am to 11:00 or 12:00 noon. Throughout the day, families take time to visit relatives or children visit their godparents for their aguinaldos (Christmas presents).

Panunuluyan

In some areas in the country, the “Panunuluyan” is still observed. Panunuluyan is the reenactment of the journey of Mary and Joseph to find a place where Mary could give birth to Jesus. This is usually done in the streets with people clad in early Jewish clothing while chanting songs that retell the story of the nativity. In some places, this is done in houses of well-off families.

Niños de Innocentes

Through time, this tradition is converted into the December version of April Fools, but actually this commemorated the many innocent children which were killed by Herod during Christ’s time.

New Years Eve Feast

The celebration of New Year’s Eve goes along Filipino’s belief of making a good start. Families gather in their houses, with all the faith that this will make the family intact for the rest of the year. The family shares a midnight meal similar to that of the Noche Buena while fireworks conquer the evening silence. The New Year celebration oftentimes comes with the beliefs of starting lucky. This is when polka-dots are “in” and 12 round fruits served at the table are believed to bring good luck — beliefs which are derived from the Chinese.

The feast of the Three Kings

Ending the long Christmas celebration is the Feast of the Three Kings or the Epiphany, this is observed every first Sunday of January.

All Filipino Christmas traditions being observed only reflect how the Pinoys value and uphold the relationship of the family. Every tradition also tells of the Filipino’s devotion to their religion and their love for festivities evident in its color, sounds and sights.

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Christmas in the Philippines is written by Matt Regis.

Once, an Australian friend of mine and I were in SM City Mall when he had a “great” idea. He thought that it was time for him (after four days’ stay here in the Philippines) to take the definitive Filipino practice: ride a jeepney. It was a mark of my hospitality that I – even when I thought the idea rather silly and pointless – readily okayed. Unfortunately, the only jeepneys that would go by where we were going were multicabs, which, being scaled for the average-sized Filipino commuter, only made my 6-foot-3 friend look like Gandalf in a Hobbit’s hut. It was with a sense of adventure that we boarded our ride.

The jeepney we hopped on was packed. We were sat near the front and, because my friend obviously had the longest reach, it became his unofficial duty to pass the other passengers’ fare to the driver (as well as hand them their change back) – a proxy konduktor (see below for the meaning). I first thought that he might find the task bothersome, and it was quite a surprise to see that he actually enjoyed doing it – and this while he still had to make sure his head doesn’t keep bopping on the roof.

This had me wondering what makes jeepney riding — despite its obvious discomforts — a tolerable, if not quite pleasant, activity. And, for the benefit of anybody else who might be wondering — may you be a foreigner or a local — here are three of my observations:

Jeepney-riding is a practice on common courtesy

Apparently, Filipinos view public space as other people’s personal space — if only evidenced by how we always excuse ourselves when passing in the jeepney’s aisle — and the better of us act in a jeepney as we would in other people’s homes. Politeness is observed, perhaps best exemplified by how we pay our fare: although all passengers have the communal obligation of passing each other’s fare to the driver / konduktor, we still act as though this is not obligatory and we give our thanks when we find assistance. (As a sidenote: it might be interpreted that when a passenger asks for his fare to be passed, he implies giving his trust – that the other passengers won’t cheat him – as well as “declaring” that he has come under the favor of strangers.) Other courtesies are also performed: assisting the elderly, helping our co-passengers with their baggage, and looking after the younger passengers.

The jeepney offers a chance to show our pakibagay or “fellow-feeling”

To ride a jeepney is to enter a social contract; along the ride, one is expected to be observant and considerate of one’s fellow passengers. This is why, in a packed ride, the chief rule is: occupy as small space as possible. This is not only for the financial gains of the driver, but more so for whatever amount of comfort one can give to one’s seatmate from giving those precious inches of sitting space.

However, ironically, little attention is paid to the intimacy of the situation (bodies may bump on each other, arms and thighs may rub). Once inside the jeepney, the passengers are — as much as can be helped — just sexless, anonymous bodies.

A jeepney ride offers a rest even while in transit

With twenty-plus years of commuting, even I still find it quite a wonder how we Filipinos can sleep in a moving jeepney. For locals, it might seem like a usual thing to do, but consider the facts: jeepneys travel at 30 – 45 kph (with sudden stops and starts), most drivers blow their horns liberally, we constantly move in our seats because of the shifting number of passengers, and we only have a beam of metal attached to the roof to hold to keep ourselves steady. Yet, it seems so easy to sleep inside the jeepney.

The only explanation I can find for this is, simply, we are just not bothered by these conditions. (I might even go as far as to say we’re fine with it.) This only shows, I suppose, not only our faith in our motorists’ obedience to traffic rules but also our feeling of easiness with the little communities that we get to form within the span of our travel.

Many good things have been said about the jeepney – mostly about it being the typified Filipino vehicle, the best example of our “ingenuity and resiliency” – but my honest opinion on the vehicle, per se, is that it isn’t really much to brag about. The wonder of jeepney-riding lies not in the contraption itself, but rather in what it carries. The jeepney do not only transport passengers, it transmits common decency and understanding: it is a showcase of Filipino culture.

Foreigners perhaps try riding the jeepney for its novelty. But, as my Australian friend and I have found out, it could also be an economical chance to participate in a wonderful, albeit strange, cultural activity.

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There is more to riding a jeepney than just getting from one location to another. In this article, Gabriel Milado also reveals something about Filipino Values and Courtesies observed by Filipinos even in routine and trivial activities like riding the King of the Road: The Jeepney.

Davao 4 Expats Notes:

Sakay-sakay means taking a ride.
Kundoktor is Jeepney driver’s sidekick; he or she is the one who handles the passengers’ fare and is the overall in-charge of the passengers. If the driver is the pilot, this guy is the steward.

Click here to read the complete article online.