HOLIDAYS in the Philippines can be confusing. Imagine welcoming “Ber” months with Christmas songs and decorations, and suddenly, horror movies and scary shenanigans enter the picture.
Several holidays occur during “Ber” months, including All Souls Day and Christmas Day. Filipinos are known to celebrate events a little too early, with the holiday season kicking off in September.
Rebecca Rojas, a 21-year-old BS IT student, told republicasia that this is what the Philippines is known for—having the longest Christmas celebration.
Miguel Dionisio, a 21-year-old student, agreed with this and said, “Yung sa Halloween naman, it is celebrated pero in a short amount of days lang so parang Christmas break lang siya sa apat na buwang Christmas season.”
One would know that it is already the holiday season in the Philippines when malls and streets are filled with colorful Christmas lanterns, lights, and other decorations. Roads also become more congested as Filipinos start flocking to shopping centers for their early Christmas shopping.
Reminiscing past Christmas season
While Filipinos’ early celebration of Christmas remains the same, these young individuals shared that they feel less excited about the holidays growing up.
“The celebration of Christmas itself, hindi na siya ramdam for me. Sobrang ibang iba siya sa mga nagdaang Christmas,” Dionisio said.
“They say malungkot daw ang Christmas kasi tumataas daw ang standard natin sa Pasko as we age. Pero ako hindi ako naniniwala. Iba na talaga Christmas ngayon,” he added.
Back in the 2000s, the Christmas spirit could already be felt as early as September, with various gimmicks prepared for all ages.
“Ang daming mga bazaar before sa iba’t ibang mall sa [Pilipinas] na talagang nakaka-miss. Ang daming freebies, mga discounts, and many, many more. Sadly, wala na sila ngayon halos kasi most people tend to rely na sa online shopping,” said Rojas.
Dionisio shared that Christmas is his favorite season and that he loved the idea that it is celebrated early in the country.
“Very joyful kasi ang Christmas for me and also sa mga Pinoy, knowing na vina-value nila sobra ang Christmas,” he said.
He continued, “Dati nga, may celebration na nagaganap tuwing gabi ng [December] 24 bago mag-Pasko. May paagaw, raffle, bonggang caroling, at [iba pa]. Ngayon kasi parang bibihira na lang.”
Today, almost everything can be done virtually, including celebrations of important occasions where families and friends are supposed to reunite in person.
Modern Christmas celebration
Technology has transformed celebrations in a more advanced manner, allowing people to connect with their loved ones despite distance and limitations.
Many Christmas traditions and practices have developed with the use of technology. From handling traditional red envelopes or ang paos, people can now send money and gifts with just a few clicks on their mobile devices.
Filipinos also welcome “Ber” months with joy and laughter by creating and sharing memes on social media, featuring Pinoy Christmas icon Jose Mari Chan.
Memes of Chan, along with American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, social media timelines every year because of their hit Christmas songs that have become staples of the Philippines’ Christmas celebration.
“Meron din tayong culture na nagiging sikat si Jose Mari Chan every time mag September kasi dahil sa kanta niya. Also pati ung mga Christmas lights nakasabit pa rin,” said Dionisio.
The cold breeze of September is another sign that Christmas is just around the corner.
“Pero pinaka remarkable talaga is yung lamig ng panahon pagpatak ng September. ‘Yun kasi yung nag-i-indicate na sobrang lamig na ng Pasko.” he continued.
Filipinos also await Christmas station ID’s of big broadcast networks. One of the iconic station IDs is the “Star Ng Pasko” in 2009, which remains popular today.
Is the Christmas spirit gone?
Yes, several Gen Zs feel less excited about Christmas even if it is celebrated in the country early. But does it mean the Christmas spirit is gone? Of course not. It can still be felt simply by looking at the Christmas decorations in public places and Christmas songs played in various establishments as early as September.
Christmas memes that have been taking over netizens’ social media timelines are another sign that many people look forward to the most beautiful time of the year.
There might be a huge change in how Christmas is celebrated, but the spirit can still be felt in many advanced ways.
A part of “Star Ng Pasko” goes, “Ang liwanag na ito, nasa ‘ting lahat, may sinag ang bawat pusong bukas,” which reminds everyone that the light of Christmas will eventually shine on all of them. May this allow them to embrace the holiday spirit a little more this year.
