Christmas Countdown: Gift-giving

"And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh."

- Matthew 2:11, King James Version

Now that there are three days to go before Christmas, people might be reminded of the Three Wise Men presenting gifts to the child Jesus Christ. Gift-giving is a tradition practiced by billions, including Filipinos, around the world during the Christmas season.

One of the reasons stores get high sales volumes during the season is that people buy items to be given to family and friends. As time went by, the practice is said to have imparted a materialistic tinge to festivities. It is our choice to dwell on the spirit of giving. The gift does not need to be tangible nor expensive. We can make the gift of love, kindness, and goodwill towards other people.

Christmas Countdown: Mall Decorations

There are three days remaining before Christmas, and there is high probability that malls everywhere in the Philippines are fully packed with shoppers. With the hustle and bustle, I am wondering whether the shoppers take the time to enjoy the Christmas decorations in the malls.

Due to the thankfully busy schedule at work, I was able to visit only the TriNoma (Triangle North of Manila) shopping center in Quezon city. Following are pictures of the decorations at the fourth floor:

Track Listing for "Christmas in Our Hearts"

Christmas in Our Hearts, the best-selling Christmas album in the history of Philippine music, also contains songs that are also popular during the season. Here is a track listing of the album:

1. A Wish On Christmas Night
Lyrics by: Jose Mari Chan, Pinky Valdez
Music by: Jose Mari Chan

2. Do You Hear What I Hear ?
Lyrics by: N. Regney, G. Shayne

3. Mary's Boy Child
Lyrics and music by: Jester Hairston

4. Christmas In Our Hearts
Performed by: Jose Mari Chan and Liza Chan
Lyrics by: Jose Mari Chan, Rina Cañiza,
Music by Jose Mari Chan

5. A Christmas Carol
Lyrics and music by: Leslie Bricusse

6. A Perfect Christmas
Lyrics and music by: Jose Mari Chan

7. Give Me Your Heart For Christmas

8. This Beautiful Day
Performed by: Jaymie Magtoto
Lyrics and music by: Leslie Bricusse

9. The Sound of Life
Lyrics by: Pinky Valdez
Music by: Jose Mari Chan

10. Christmas Children
Lyrics and music by: Jose Mari Chan

11. Little Christmas Tree

12. When A Child Is Born
Lyrics by: Zacar-Jay

13. It is The Lord!
Lyrics and music by: Jose Mari Chan

14. The Lord's Prayer

15. Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)

16. May The Good Lord Bless and Keep You
Lyrics and music by: Meredith Willson

Christmas Countdown: "Christmas in Our Hearts"

It's four days to go before Christmas. As I thought of something to post I heard on the radio a song that is said to usher the season in the Philippines. The four-word title, Christmas in Our Hearts, is the carrier single of the best-selling Christmas album in the history of Philippine music.

Comprising of tracks created by renowned singer-songwriter Jose Mari Chan, the album was released twelve years ago. A few weeks after its November 1990 release, the album reached "triple platinum record" status. As of 2010, it has achieved the "double diamond record" milestone, or sales of 800,000 copies. With this, Chan surpassed his own achievement for the 1989 love song compilation Constant Change.
 

Front cover of the album (SOURCE: CD Universe)

STORY BEHIND THE SONG
Jose Mari Chan said in a 2003 interview with The Philippine Star that the original title of the carrier single of the album was Ang Tubig Ay Buhay ("Water Is Life"), based on a poem by Chari Cruz-Zarate. Chan added music to the words with the intention of composing a jubilee song for Assumption High School Class ‘63.

Chan during the launch of his 2012 album Going Home to Christmas (SOURCE: ABS-CBNNews)

Christmas Countdown: "Parol"

It's five days before Christmas and '5' reminds me of the common number of tips the parol has. The parol is a star-shaped lantern used as a decoration in homes, buildings, electric posts, trees, and other high structures in the Philippines during the Christmas season.

A stylized picture of a parol parade somewhere in Bulacan

The parol represents the Star of Bethlehem that guided the Three Wise Men to the birthplace of Jesus Christ. A wide array of materials is used in making the parol, ranging from bamboo and Japanese paper to capiz shells. As time went by, the parol evolved to giant electronic lanterns, for which the City of San Fernando in the Philippine province of Pampanga became famous.

Another picture of the aforementioned parade

Christmas Countdown: "Pangangaroling"

It's six days before Christmas, and we delve into the tradition of pangangaroling. Groups of children visit houses in the neighborhood singing Christmas carols using makeshift instruments such as drums made of biscuit cans and tambourines made of aluminum bottle caps.

The children wait for the homeowners to reward them with coins and other treats. Homeowners may opt not to give anything, telling the children, "Patatawarin!"


The children's closing line typically comes in two forms:

"Thank you, thank you, ang babait ninyo (you are so generous), thank you!"

"Thank you, thank you, ang babarat ninyo (you are so stingy), thank you!"


Formal carollers perform pangangaroling to raise funds for various causes. They may also inform the homeowners ahead about the carolling. Most of the time, they rehearsed for the performance and prepared suitable apparel and instruments.

Christmas Countdown: "Queso de Bola"

With seven days remaining before Christmas, another food item that reminds me of the season is the queso de bola or cheese ball. Queso de bola is  believed to bring prosperity to those who eat it during the Noche Buena (Christmas Eve dinner).

Queso de bola is typically made of Edam cheese formed into a sphere and wrapped in red paraffin wax. Aside from served with ham and pan de sal bread, queso de bola may also be enjoyed with wine.

Christmas Countdown: "Bibingka" and "Puto Bumbong"

There are 8 days remaining before Christmas and two kinds of native rice cake associated with the festivities will be presented: bibingka and puto bumbong.  Commonly sold outside the church during the Simbang Gabi masses, bibingka and puto bumbong can also be enjoyed with a warm glass of coffee, chocolate or salabat (ginger tea).

Christmas Countdown: "Simbang Gabi"

December 16 marks the the first day of Simbang Gabi, a nine-day series of Masses in which devout Roman Catholics in the Philippines attend. Simbang Gabi (Tagalog for "Night Mass") is celebrated in anticipation of Christmas. The mass on December 24 is called Misa de Gallo (Spanish for "Mass of the Rooster").

Many people aim to complete the nine-day series of masses on the belief that doing so will result in the realization of a special wish. The challenge lies, however, on the time each mass starts - at around 4:30 to 5:00 in the morning. Waking up and dressing up for the mass is very daunting at these times.

As a result, the number of participants significantly decreases from the first day to the last day. Following are pictures of the Simbang Gabi proceedings at the Malolos Cathedral earlier today:

Christmas Countdown: "Jamon de Bola"

Christmas in the Philippines means good food. There are ten days before Christmas and I presume many people are still thinking about the food selections they will serve for the festivities. One of the most popular food items during the season is ham ball or jamon de bola.

An example is the Purefoods Fiesta Ham brand, which is sold with pineapple sauce. It is suggested that the ham should be topped with sugar and bake in a pre-heated 375 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 20 minutes or until sugar melts and caramelizes.

Front view of the paper packaging

Christmas Countdown: Poinsettia

There are twelve days remaining before Christmas, and that number is significant to poinsettia as December 12 is National Poinsettia Day in the United States. Considering American influences on Filipino culture, poinsettia is well-known in the Philippines.

What is poinsettia?

The poinsettia is a plant species typically used in Christmas floral displays in many countries, including the Philippines, because of its green and red foliage. It is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. Minister to Mexico, who introduced the plant into the U.S. in 1825.