It’s not an exaggeration to say that the Philippines has the longest Christmas season in the world. The beginning of the first month that ends with ber–September–is the sign that Christmas is “near”. Of course, the onset of the Christmas spirit is “helped along” by commercial establishments which don’t seem to find anything strange about selling Christmas ornaments alongside Halloween costumes and accessories.
The giant Christmas lanterns in the photo, each measuring about three feet in diameter, are part of the outdoor Christmas decor of the Sta. Lucia East Mall in Cainta, Rizal.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Annette 11.08.06 at 5:25 am
Hi Connie!
Could not help commenting on how I missed Christmas Filipino style. Please post more pictures as this keeps me warm in this cold country of Canada.
Sassy 11.10.06 at 9:15 pm
Oh, I will Annette. For sure.
red 12.07.07 at 12:21 am
hi ms. connie, d na ba uso parol sa pinas???miss ko yun very local!!!please post pictures yung bang pinoy talaga……..i see beautiful illuminations here in Japan,for me handmade parols are nice!!!!! more power to you!!!!!i like your blogs…. thank’s….
Marie 12.31.07 at 8:05 am
I’m a big Christmas person and a self-proclaimed Christmas nazi. I don’t miss Manila’s Christmas traffic jams, but, I sure do miss an authentic Pinoy Christmas so, every year, I trick my non-Christmassy (and non-Pinoy) flatmates into observing and celebrating a Pinoy style Christmas by decorating our flat, playing Christmas carols 24/7 (OK, maybe not 24/7 but a lot…), making them watch Filipino TV and cooking heaps and heaps of Christmassy food. You’d be surprised to know that some of my friends who don’t even know where the Philippines is, all know how to say “Queso de Bola”, ” Bibingka”, “Kris Kringle”, “Noche Buena”, “Puto Bumbong”, “Parol”, “Belen”, “Media Noche”, “Jollibee” (thanks to the TV ads) and “Misa de Gallo”–all spoken in the correct Pinoy accent, too! Hehe
Connie Veneracion 12.31.07 at 9:08 am
red mas uso na kasi yung strings of christmas lights eh.
Marie, I think you’re going to prove my theory correct. With so many Filipino immigrants, in time, we will rule the world hehehehe