Christmas “Pasko” for Filipinos

Hover or tap underlined words for translations to Tagalog and Ilocano text. Listen to audio translations below. Shareable Christmas Quotes below!

Philippine Christmas Decorations

The spirit of Christmas among Filipinos is reflected through this picture. – Photo by Rizal Domingo

Christmas is a season that every Filipino is looking forward to. Everyone starts feeling the spirit of Christmas as early as the month of September.  When you turn on the FM radio on Sept 1st, you will hear the Christmas songs all day. They start to decorate the malls, parks, and streets.  Most of the houses are ready to put up their Christmas lanterns and Christmas trees.  If we are fond of setting up a Christmas tree in the United States, Filipinos are fond of lanterns. Everyone loves to have a fancy Christmas tree, but most will end up customizing their Christmas tree from scratch because they can’t afford to buy one otherwise, just simple decorations will do.  Some kids in school make lanterns as their projects and bring them home.  There is usually a Christmas or Lantern parade in towns where everyone showcases their lanterns.

Shopping is always a part of Christmas, but for most Filipinos who can’t afford to buy presents, they sure will prepare foods that will get everyone together on Christmas Day.  They will for sure enjoy attending the “Misa de Gallo” or midnight mass.  There are stores that sell “puto bumbong”, “hot pandesal”, and some native delicacies and they usually enjoy these foods after attending the mass.

Balikbayan box: A box full of goodies that are sent by Filipinos to their families in the Philippines.

Balikbayan Box – A box full of goodies and presents usually prepared by Filipinos abroad to send to their families on Christmas season and any time of the year.

Every Filipino abroad is looking forward to seeing their families in the Philippines but sad to say that there are many who would not for some reasons.  Most Filipinos put up a balikbayan box full of presents to send to their families in the Philippines.  Some may not be able to put up a balikbayan box, but they will surely send money to buy presents. It is also a time for Filipinos have reunion parties.  It is a time to get reunited with friends, schoolmates, or family members that they haven’t met for a long time.

Carolling was one of my favorite parts of Christmas.  When I was a kid, I would convince the kids in the neighborhood or my cousins to go out for caroling.  Filipinos prepare for carolers. They know that Christmas is the best time to just be generous without expecting anything in return.  When I am at home, on break from school, I would hear carolers by our door the whole day.  There were times when we ran out of money to give, I would look for some available foods we have and share it with them. I wished I had some candies to spare 🙂

Filipino foods for Christmas

Filipinos love the idea of abundant foods for Christmas meals.

Filipinos are fond of preparing homemade foods or delicacies.  It is a time when everyone prepares for the best foods they could afford and share it with everyone who joins them on Christmas Eve including the neighbors.
In the Ilocos region, we bake this native delicacy called, “tupig”.  I have always loved the aroma of it.  Since they are made of glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaves, you could smell the good aroma while baking them.  So many well-known foods that are favorites of everyone are the queso de bola, puto bumbong, suman, bibingka, deep fried pork (chicharon), lechon (grilled pork), macaroni salad, leche flan, Filipino style spaghetti, pansit malabon, pansit bihon, etc.

If Santa is popular in the western world, Baby Jesus dominates the word Santa in the Philippines.  Most Filipino people always consider that Christmas is Jesus’ birthday.  Though kids love the idea of Santa because he is known to give toys on Christmas day if you’ve been good, but in reality it does not happen to every Filipino kid.  Some kids may always have Santa visit them, but to most, they are content having their family together on Christmas Eve without any expectations of presents at all.

Celebrating Christmas for most Filipinos means it is time to make amends, time to give, it is time to attend the Misa de Gallo and have some hot pandesal, hot puto bumbong, and hot chocolate after mass, time to see loved ones from abroad, time to shop and party, time to have karaoke, and most especially it is time to reflect what it means having Jesus in their lives.

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Tagalog Audio Translations
Ilocano Audio Translations

COUNTDOWN QUOTATIONS TO CHRISTMAS – CLICK, COMMENT AND SHARE IT!

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> See Shareable Christmas Greetings Translations in all Filipino Dialects.

> See 10 Tips When Visiting the Philippines for Christmas

>>> Read more stories about the Filipino Culture while you learn the basics of the Filipino Language.

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