Simbang Gabi
Panuluyan
Aguinaldo
Caroling
Parol
and
Decorations
How
to Make
A Simple Parol
Noche Buena
Tagalog
Christmas
songs |
Filipino Christmas
Simbang Gabi
Christmas is the longest and most celebrated holiday in the Philippines. On
December 16, the festivities start with a daily pre-dawn Mass, called Simbang Gabi or Misas
de Aguinaldo (Gift Masses), and culminate in the Misa de Gallo on Christmas
eve. The Misas de Aguinaldo
originated in Mexico and were held at four in the morning to accommodate the farmers who
had to be in the fields by dawn during harvest season.
This tradition continues to the present day. At 3 o' clock in the morning, the
church bells ring to summon the people to the service. In some rural areas a band
might play a medley of Christmas tunes to awaken the town. After the lively service,
churchgoers will filter out into the churchyard. In the early morning light they
will stop by food stalls made of nipa that line the perimeter of the church.
Like homes all over the Philippines at Christmastime, these tiny huts are decorated
with some parol
fashioned from bamboo sticks and cellophane. These lanterns represent the star of
Bethlehem, the guiding light that led the three wise men to the infant Child. This
emblem of Philippine Christmas embodies the spirit of hospitality that prevails during the
season.
The early risers will have warm bibingka
(rice cakes made from rice flour topped with carabao cheese and grated coconut) for
breakfast. Puto bumbong
(purple glutinous rice cakes steamed in bamboo cylinders and sprinkled with grated coconut
and brown sugar) will be offered along with invigorating cups of salabat
(ginger tea). The festive air will continue until Christmas eve.Back to Top
Back to Tagalog Main Page |
Simbang Gabi,
Parol,
Bibingka, Salabat at Puto Bumbong
Text and image from
Lily G. O'Boyle and Reynaldo G.Alejandro,
Philippine Hospitality: A Gracious
Tradition of the East, 1995.
|
| Panuluyan
In the provinces, the Mexican posada (inn) has survived but is known as the
panuluyan (looking for
lodgings). This Christmas tradition dates back to St. Ignatius of Loyola, who
suggested a Christmas novena to commemorate the Holy Family's journey to Bethlehem; in
1580, St. John of the Cross prepared a more elaborate version of the travel; seven years
later, Spanish missionaries introduced it in Mexico.
The panuluyan is held on Christmas
Eve. To the tune of Paul Lincke's "Glowworm", the images of St. Joseph and
the Virgin Mary are wheeled out of from the churh courtyard in the company of two singers
who will vocalize their parts. They stop at three or four homes that represent the
inns and in each sing their plight and request for lodgings. The innkeepers
represented by a choir inform them that the inns are already filled to capacity. In
the end, the Holy Couple are wheeled into the church for Nativity.
Back to Top
Back to Tagalog Main Page |
Panuluyan
Text and
image from
Alejandro R. Roces's
Fiesta,
1980.
|
| Aguinaldo (Gift Giving)
Christmas in the Philippines is the day for
presents, for obeisances to godparents, and for visits to friends and relatives. In
general, members of the family exchange gifts following a traditional Christmas eve dinner
(called noche buena). Godchildren visit their godparents on Christmas day to ask for their
blessings and, in turn, godparents traditionally hand over gifts to their
godchildren. It is also during Christmas day that big family reunions are held with
a feast of good food, singing, and dancing.
Back to Top
Back to Tagalog Main Page
|
Mano Po
Greeting grandma with a kiss
on the hand on Christmas.
|
Caroling
Philippine Christmas is not complete without
music, and the season is celebrated by Filipinos through caroling. In most urban
centers and rural areas in the Philippines, a group of carolers visit houses to sing
Christmas songs. Some of these carolers raise funds for less fortunate families through
caroling, while others are simply doing it for the joy of singing. Some carolers may
be a group of friends, or belong to the same community or civic organization. Others
may be family relatives who have made it a tradition to sing together as a family.
In the neighborhood, a group of kids may form
together as amateur carolers and visit houses every night. They will be more than
happy to receive coins or candies as reward for singing Christmas songs. They sing
even out of tune, and are creative in using tin cans, plastic containers, and bamboos as
their musical instruments. It is the fun of doing it that mattters, out of tune or
not!
Click here for Tagalog
Christmas songs.
Back to Top
Back to Tagalog Main Page
|
A group of kids form amateur
Christmas carolers
|
Parol
and DecorationsFilipinos adorn their
houses with parol (Christmas
lantern influenced by the Mexican piņata)
during Christmas. Most of these lanterns are made of bamboo sticks and thin sheets
of paper (called Japanese paper in the Philippines). They are lighted up at night.
More recent innovations of the parol are those made of capiz (seashells) that have
dancing lights, which originated in Pampangga.
Click here to
learn how to make a simple Filipino parol.
Inside Filipino homes, there are Christmas trees and a nativity scene either cut out from
cardboards or made of ceramics. Christmas trees are decorated with colorful lights.
The usual colors are red, green, and yellow.
Back to Top
Back to Tagalog Main Page
|
Parol (Christmas
lanterns)
adorn most Filipino houses
|
| Noche Buena
On Christmas eve, family members partake of a sumptuous
Filipino meal by twelve midnight, called noche buena.
This usually comes after the entire family has attended a late evening mass or
church service about an hour or so before midnight. The typical noche buena foods prepared on the table
are: lechon, pancit, fried chicken, lumpia, rice, adobo,
among others for the main course; desserts include halo-halo,
rice cakes, ice cream, patries and cakes; drinks include soda, wine, beer, juice.
Noche buena
is also an opportunity for family get together, opening of Christmas gifts, singing and
story-telling. It is also a chance for kids to earn some money aside from toy gifts.
In some homes, it is also one way to welcome the less-fortunate by inviting orphans
or poor people to join in the Christmas celebration. Some carolers who raise funds
for civic organizations are also welcomed and given donations (in cash or kind) into the
home.
The noche buena
could last until about four o'clock in the morning on Christmas day. The whole
family will again attend mass or church service during the morning. When they go
back home, the salu-salo (partaking
of the meal) will continue. It is during Christmas day that some inaanak (godchildren) visit their ninong (godfather) and ninang (godmother). It is also the
day for some families to hold grand reunions of extended family clan members
(grandparents, grandchildren, cousins, uncles and aunts).
Adobong manok
(chicken marinated and stewed
in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and corn peppers)
Back to Top
Back to Tagalog Main Page |
Lechon (roasted pig) and
fresh tropical fruits
Puto (rice cake)
and lugaw (congee)
Tropical fruit salad
Halo-Halo
(Iced tropical fruits
topped with ice cream)
|
|
