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LIST: Where to spend the holiday season this year?

LIST: Where to spend the holiday season this year?

by Joanna Deala

CHRISTMAS season is not just the most joyous month of the year but also the busiest one for many Filipinos, attending events left and right and doing back-to-back errands.

While some flock to shopping centers to buy gifts and additional decorations, others have probably started planning where they could bring their family or meet their friends to celebrate Christmas. After all, the holiday season is also about spending quality time with loved ones.

But in case some have not figured out where to go, here are some enjoyable activities and places to visit to ignite their Christmas spirit.

Stargazing at Masungi Georeserve

Shopping malls are among the popular destinations every holiday season. But for some who look for a unique way of celebrating Christmas, this stargazing activity at Masungi Georeserve in Rizal may interest them.

Titled “Celestial Nights: A Christmas Special,” this special holiday event offers a short guided 30-minute hike that will end on a rock peak where hikers can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and Filipino Christmas delicacies bibingka and puto bumbong.

While enjoying their food, hikers will be entertained by stargazing experts through stories of the cosmos, the stars, and humanity’s place within it. The event will conclude with a lantern-lit dinner where hikers can enjoy traditional banana-wrapped meals prepared by Masungi’s community partners.

Interested hikers need to pay a conservation fee of P3,000 per guest, or P2,8000 per head for groups of four or more.

The “Celestial Nights: A Christmas Special” is available on selected dates in December and January. One can schedule their visit through this link.

Stroll around this Christmas village in QC

For those who do not want to go outside the metro but are still looking for an exciting holiday experience, this newly-opened magical Christmas village in Eastwood City in Quezon City may enchant mallgoers and their loved ones!

The Central Plaza at Eastwood City is transformed into an illuminating Christmas village, which houses a variety of merchants that sell products perfect for Christmas gifts, including cute toys for kids, drip bears for kids at heart, and handcrafted soaps, candles, and home scents for the elders.

Aside from these shops adorned with Christmas decors, the Eastwood Christmas Village offers other activities for Filipinos like the Snow Show and the Paws & Claus pet activities they can do with their beloved furbabies such as pet training and coaching.

The Eastwood Christmas Village will be open to the public until January 5, 2025.

Visit the Liwanag Park

Another way to get into the holiday spirit is to visit the annual Meralco Liwanag Park display at Plaza Roma in the Walled City of Manila.

Meralco and One Meralco Foundation lit up the Plaza Roma in front of the Manila Cathedral with colorful Christmas lights and decorations, including the power distributor’s 20-foot Christmas tree made up of recycled electric meter covers.

Officially opened in November, the Meralco Liwanag Park will continue bringing festive cheer to Filipinos until January 6, 2025. It is open daily from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Explore Christmas by the Lake

Meanwhile, the local government of Taguig City turned a part of its coast along the Laguna Lake into a vibrant holiday attraction called “Christmas by the Lake,” offering breathtaking displays that visitors can enjoy.

Considered the largest holiday lights park in the country, Christmas by the Lake features a variety of vibrant attractions, with the giant Christmas tree—which embodies hope, unity, and joy—being the park’s centerpiece.

Other fun activities include the Maze of Life, the Lake’s Prism Trees, the Glow Lamps, and the Infinity Tunnel.

The Infinity Tunnel is the newest attraction at Christmas by the Lake, which is adorned with glimmering disco balls, rainbow light, and floating balloons—perfect for one’s Instagram post or story.

The park is open from December 1, 2024 to January 12, 2025. However, it is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

Visit the Museo Pambata

If one is looking for a place where their kids, younger siblings, cousins, nephews, or nieces would definitely enjoy this Christmas season, why not visit the newly-reopened Museo Pambata in Ermita, Manila.

The country’s first children’s museum reopened its doors to the public last week, two years after it closed during the pandemic and underwent renovations. 

The Museo Pambata is divided into different themed spaces, showing the country’s rich culture, heritage, and childhood. One significant and newest feature in Museo Pambata is the Balay Yatu, which will host art exhibits, workshops, and other children’s events. It also houses the museum’s gift shop and cafe.

The entrance fee costs P450, with a 20 percent discount for seniors and persons with disabilities. Kids who are below two years old can enter the museum for free.

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