Philippine Pasko Radiates the Most Exuberant Christmas Spirit

By DC 

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From September through December (what Filipinos fondly call the “ber” months), Filipinos revel in a nonstop celebration filled with elaborate light displays, masses, festivals, and more. It’s called Pasko in Tagalog and Christmas in English. On December 16, though, Pasko in America is replicating the Philippines’ beloved 4-month Christmas celebrations in only one day. 

The world may contain no greater devotion and commitment to honoring the Christmas spirit than what Filipinos display each year. Pasko, the Filipino term for Christmas, is celebrated for the longest period in the Philippines due to a few key reasons and historical reasons:

1. As a deeply Catholic country, the Philippines observes a longer and more devout Christmas season than nearly any other place. Around 90 percent of Filipinos identify as Christian, with 80 percent following Catholicism—a lasting effect of over 300 years of Spanish colonial rule. Pasko in America is hearing Mass at 11 am in honor of this tradition.
2. Pasko from the Spanish phrase, pascua de navidad (“Easter of the Nativity”); the latter part, de navidad, fell out of use, leaving the word pascua to be assimilated into the local languages over the years. 
3. Cultural propensity for celebration: Filipino culture values community, family ties, and festivities so stretching Christmas into a long celebration fits cultural tendencies. It allows extended time for separated families to reunite and celebrate.
4. Economic and tourism boost: The Philippine government, churches, and businesses encourage a prolonged Pasko to stimulate the economy and tourism, especially returning overseas workers. And Filipinos from all over the world take this opportunity to celebrate Christmas like they were back in the Philippines, wherever they may be.

The Philippines uniquely displays an outsized Christmas spirit spanning one third of the year through Pasko's evolution and widespread observance, even outside of the Philippines. 

If a worldwide contest were held for Yuletide cheer for instance, the country could claim the crown for the planet’s lengthiest and most zealous holiday festivities.

Simbang Gabi

A traditional Filipino event is Simbang Gabi, a series of masses held over nine nights culminating in Christmas Eve. As early as September, when the dark nights come, it is not unusual to see a series of spectacular Christmas displays popping up in malls, parks and open spaces across the country.

Parols as important as Christmas trees

The parols are as important to Filipinos as the Christmas tree to Western culture. The lanterns were used by people to light their paths during the ritual Yuletide dawn masses called Misa de Gallo [midnight mass], because electricity was unavailable at the time in many rural areas.

The glowing lanterns are a comforting indication that Christmas is on its way and a fond reminder of how a community comes together every year to string up the spectacular lights.

Noche Buena 

Christmas Eve, or Noche Buena, is traditionally when families come together to host a large festive meal. The celebration is well known in Spain and Latin America and stems from the nation’s colonial past.

In addition to the Christmas Eve dinner, lots of delicious, and often highly unusual, dishes are prepared for Filipinos to gorge themselves on. These include puto bumbong, glutinous purple rice stuffed into bamboo tubes with butter, sugar and coconut, and keso de bola. 

Pasko is the perfect time to reach out and gather around with the ones you love. There is so much more to Christmas than just presents, and the Filipino tradition proves it. 

Christmas Carols

At the beginning of Simbang Gabi / Misa de Gallo is when Filipinos form groups and go from house to house singing Christmas carols for the residents. This is known as "caroling."   Households give small amounts of money as a sign of appreciation for the carolers and as donations to church choirs.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day in the Philippines is primarily a family affair. The Misa de Gallo is celebrated on December 25 and is usually one of several Masses that all family members (including non-churchgoers) are present. 

The Misa de Gallo is often celebrated between 10 pm and midnight, a schedule preferred by many Filipinos who stay up late on Christmas Eve for the night-long celebration of the Noche Buena. Fireworks and most merrymaking devices are sometimes used at the start of Christmas.

Belen

Another traditional Filipino Christmas symbol is the belén—a creche or tableau depicting the Birth of Christ. Derived from the Spanish name for Bethlehem, Belén, it depicts the infant Jesus in the manger, surrounded by the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, the shepherds, their flock, the Magi and some stable animals, and is surmounted by an angel, the Star or both.

Giving respect to elders

Preferably in the morning, Filipinos typically visit their extended family, especially to pay their respects to senior relatives. This custom of giving respect is enacted through the “Págmamáno.” A supplicant takes the back of an elder's hand and presses it against the forehead while giving the greeting, Máno, pô  (“Thy hand, please”). The elder often responds by reciting a blessing or simply acknowledging the gesture, and in return gives “Aguinaldo” or money in the form of crisp banknotes. Godparents in particular are socially obligated to give presents or aguinaldo to their godchildren, to whom they often give larger amounts compared to other younger relatives.

A festive lunch may follow the "Págmamáno". The menu is heavily dependent upon the finances of the family with richer families preparing grand feasts, while poorer families choose to cook simple yet special dishes. Some families choose to open presents on this day after lunch.

When nighttime falls, members of the family usually return home or linger to drink, play parlor games, and chat. Some may opt to have another feast for dinner, while a minority spend the entire day at home to rest after the previous days' festivities.

For over 4 million Filipino Americans living far from their homeland, the nostalgic spirit of a Filipino Christmas burns brightly in their hearts during the holiday season. Pasko in America is capturing that spirit in one day on Dec. 16 at American Dream. Come and join us.