Christmas in our Hearts

Christmastime is always an exciting season for me. It brings into remembrance wonderful memories from my childhood and creates that warm fuzzy feeling from within.

In our homeland Philippines, the Christmas season or “Pasko” begins as early as September and lasting until around the 2^nd week of January, earning the country the distinction of celebrating the world’s longest Christmas season. 

Philippine "parol"

Homes, buildings, and every corner get a major facelift with lights, lanterns or “parol” and every Christmas décor imaginable. Christmas music and carols can then be heard playing on every radio station, supermarket, establishment, or sung by children carollers with makeshift instruments going from house to house eager and expectant to receive their “aguinaldo”.

I remember when I was little that our family would go to church on the eve of Christmas to give thanks to the Lord for all His blessings and celebrate the birth of our Messiah, Jesus.  After church, we’d buy some native delicacies offered by vendors just outside the church such as “bibingka” (rice flour and egg-based cake, cooked using coal burners above and under) or “putò bumbóng” (a purple, sticky rice delicacy steamed in bamboo tubes, buttered then sprinkled with brown sugar and shredded dried coconut meat). We’d then go home and our parents would put us to bed early that night. They’d then wake us up just before midnight for the traditional “Noche Buena” dinner. In our household, this dinner usually comprise of “hamon” (Christmas ham drizzling with sweet pineapple sauce), “queso de bola” (ball of cheese or Edam cheese), “pan de sal” (a popular slightly sweet bread invented in 16th Century Spanish-Era Philippines) or sliced white bread, macaroni salad, spaghetti, fruit salad, cathedral jello.

Noche Buena feast

After stuffing ourselves with all those blessings on the table, we then get to the most exciting part of exchanging gifts and cards, kisses and hugs. We as children anticipate Papa and Mama’s reaction as we hand them our hand-made greeting cards with our heartfelt messages.

"pagmamano"

Christmas morning just started and there’s more to happen. We stay home and wait (with great expectancy!) for the arrival of our extended family members and friends to visit and celebrate with us. We pay respect to our elders through “pagmamano” (enacted when a young one bridges to their forehead the hand of an elderly person, and then the elder often responds by reciting a blessing or simply acknowledging the gesture).  There is a great deal of merry-making, chitchat, and eating. We as children stage a mini Christmas show for all to see and hear such as playing an instrument, singing, dancing, and reciting a poem. After that, we are then free to run around, play and enjoy ourselves.

As time went by and we grow older, both in physique and spirit, we gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Christmas and it’s pure meaning—the celebration of the birth of the Messiah, JESUS...and the promise of REDEMPTION.

[Luke 2:10-11] “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

[Isaiah 9:6] “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

[1John3:5] “You know that he became a man so that he could take away our sins, and that there is no sin in him, no missing of God’s will at any time in any way.”