If Christmas is your favorite holiday, then you would love to spend it in the Philippines. Known as pasko, it is one of the most celebrated holidays in the country. Christmas celebrations begin as early as September and finish at the end of December. About 90% of the country is Christian, making Christmastime a season to remember.[1] Learn more about its local Christmas traditions so you can celebrate Christmas in the Philippines too.
Filipino Christmas decorations
Like most of the world, Filipinos celebrate Christmas by adding a Christmas tree to their home. However, unlike those in the U.S. who put their tree up after Thanksgiving at the earliest, many Christmas trees in the Philippines are up and decorated in September or October.
A Christmas decoration that’s unique to the Philippines is the parol. This star-shaped Christmas lantern is traditionally made with bamboo and Japanese paper and is hung outside of the home or in the streets. The parol symbolizes many things, like the triumph of light over darkness. It is also said to symbolize the star that guided the three kings to where Jesus was born.
Another popular Filipino Christmas decoration is known as the belen. The belen is a nativity scene that is often placed in front of Christmas trees in Filipino homes.
Filipino Christmas food
In the Philippines, Christmas is a time to gather with family and eat delicious Filipino food. Some traditional Filipino Christmas dishes include:
- Lechon manok: a sweet and savory roasted chicken cooked with lemongrass, fish sauce, and brown sugar
- Menudo: a stew that contains liver and pork meat cooked in tomato soup
- Lechon kawali: a crispy fried pork dish
- Leche flan: a Filipino Christmas dessert made with egg yolks, milk, and sugar
- Buko salad: a creamy fruit salad dessert
- Buko pandan salad: a dessert made with young coconut meat and Pandan-flavored jelly
Other Filipino Christmas traditions
There are many other Christmas traditions in the Philippines. Here are some Christmas traditions that you may experience in the Philippines:
Simbang Gabi
Simbang Gabi, which means “evening or night Mass,” is a tradition followed by Catholic Filipinos. Simbang Gabi is a series of nine Masses leading up to Christmas. The first Mass occurs on December 16th, and the final Mass is held on Christmas Eve. After each Mass, attendees celebrate by eating food from vendors outside of the church. Filipinos believe that if you attend each of these Masses, one of your wishes will become a reality.
Noche Buena
Noche Buena, which means “good night” in Spanish, is the Filipino version of Christmas Eve. In the Philippines, families gather to celebrate Noche Buena after hearing the final Simbang Gabi Mass and sharing a meal. Children can also open their gifts on Noche Buena.
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