Pang Bahay Filipino Blog
Filipino Places
There are over 7000 islands in the Philippines. One way to see these islands is to take short day or overnight trips. You can find some already pre-arranged by travel agents or touring companies.
One such ready made getaway trips can be found on SuperCat Fast Ferry’s website. They have “skip trips” to Cebu and Bohol with different options to make the most of your day trip.
If you’ve never been to Cebu or Bohol, going on a “skip trip” is a great way to see the islands. It gives a good introductory overview of the island and may leave you wanting to go back for a more extended visit. A “skip trip” to Bohol for example is an all day experience leaving from Cebu taking the SuperCat Ferry to Bohol. The package takes you to all the major sights
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Filipino Traditions
In the Philippines, you really know it’s Christmas. It doesn’t get cold or snowy and Christmas tree farms don’t pop up at random empty lots or parking lots. Christmas in the Philippines means the parols are used to decorate everything from homes, trees, lamp posts, cars and jeepneys. The one thing that’s just so cheery about Christmas in the Philippines is that singing Christmas carols is so prevalent. There isn’t any preoccupation or fear that singing about Jesus’ birth and making mention of Christianity would offend anyone.
Singing is just so natural to Filipinos. Filipinos aren’t shy about getting up and singing and caroling is just such a great outlet for it. I think just about every Filipino household I know of has a karaoke or videoke. All the wonderful Christmas songs in both English and Filipino are so beautiful and
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Filipino Places
The Philippines is a highly under rated destination spot. It is not nearly as publicized as Fiji, Tahiti or Bali to name some South Pacific “exotic” destinations.
The Philippines has some increadibly beautiful landscapes, beaches, dive spots, historical monuments and wonderful warm and welcoming hospitality. There are so many hidden treasures to see and explore.
One great day trip outing would be to hire a big banka, they will come equipped and manned with a boat driver and deck hands so you don’t have to do anything but sit back and enjoy the ride. The boat rental may also organize a lunch and cater it for you or you could choose to buy your food in advance and bring it on board. Don’t forget to bring some lechon and pancit. Swimming and sunning works up a big appetite.
You can ask the crew
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Filipino Traditions
I just love, love, love, love Christmas time. It’s the food. I think of Christmas and I think of the food I’m going to have. Puto, queso de bola, relleno, traditional Christmas jamon, warm bibingka and lechon too of course.
When we were young and living in the Philippines, staying up for simbang gabi, midnight mass, was such a treat. I loved it. I looked forward to it. Because after midnight mass, there’s sure to be lots of food. Noche buena was just too wonderful to pass up.
I can get that stuff here now. I’m not much of a Filipino cook but I can go to any Asian or Filipino market and get a lot of that same food here. It’s just not the same though because I want to have the puto and the bibingka waiting for me outside
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Filipino Traditions
Filipino parols are so symbolic of the Filipino Christmas season. It’s the star that shines brightly for the world to see that Jesus our savior was born. A Filipino parol shines in every ones house to celebrate the season of sharing, giving, peace and love. Filipino Christmas parols are so unique and for us Filipinos, easily recognizable as the symbol of our faith and our culture.
Another symbol of our faith is the belen. It’s another thing that we had in our house when we were growing up during the Christmas season. It’s not so much a big focus here in the US, but I do remember that it to be a prominent fixture in our Christmas decorations. A belen is a nativity scene and the most basic version you can find is one with a manger, Mary, Joseph, the
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Filipino Traditions
Christmas to me back home wasn’t so much the Christmas tree trimmed with balls and garlands or the puto with queso de bola. What I remember most are the parols that that hang under the bridges or overpasses. It was such a profusion of color and filmy streamers swaying in breeze.
Christmas season in the Philippines begins when the parol vendors come out. Unlike here in the US where Christmas season begins in late November after Thanksgiving, parol vendors start selling their parols in the “ber” months, September, October, November and December. Christmas season in the Philippines is a significantly longer period of time.
There are only two types of parols (if we really simplify it). There’s the traditional parol and the capiz parol. The parol that makes me really nostalgic for home is the more traditional parol. The star with
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Filipino Traditions
Christmas time is so much fun. It’s all about the Christmas trees, the lights and all the wonderful decorations. It’s a time when some neighbors compete for best lawn decorations, rooftop reindeer or house decor. And everyone loves driving by the neighborhoods to check out the best decorations and light shows. There is one such neighborhood here that we love to go to. They actually close the streets to vehicle traffic and everyone just walks from house to house to check out all the cool displays. Each house is more spectacular than the one before. (I’d feel pressured to decorate if I lived on that block)
There’s the house with the teddy bear Christmas tree where the entire tree looked like it was built with teddy bears. The house with the multiple Christmas trees. The house so full of lights,
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Parol
The traditional parol is based on the 5-pointed star lantern that is made with bamboo sticks and colored rice paper, more commonly called papel de Japon (Japanese paper). The sizes of the earliest parols during the Spanish times were no more than two feet in diameter, a big parol would have been awkward to carry at simbang gabi (morning mass) on a dark December morning. In the middle of the parol, there would be a platform for placing one or more candles, and at least two sides were left open for lighting or replacing the candle or coconut-oil lamp that illuminates the parol.
Today, parols come in a variety of materials. The most common ones you will find for sale are made using the traditional papel de Japon, celophane, and capiz. In different regions of the Philippines, you will find
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Parol
In the Filipino language, a Christmas lantern is called a parol. There’s no greater symbol of the Filipino Christmas spirit than the parol. All through the Christmas season, star-shaped lanterns can be found hanging outside homes and along the streets of cities and small provincial towns, farms and fishing villages. For Filipinos, making a parol, decorating one and lighting a parol is an expression of shared faith and hope. –myParol.com
The Christmas season in the Philippines runs from September through December. First introduced to the Philippines by the Spanish, the parol (pronounced pah-roll) derives it’s name from the Spanish word for lantern, farol. The parol was used to light the way to the church for Misas de Aguinaldo or Gift Masses which begin on December 16, the start of the Christmas season and ends with the Misa de Gallo, Mass of the Rooster at
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Filipino Christmas Songs
Ang Pasko ay sumapit
Tayo ay mangagsiawit
Ng magagandang himig
Dahil sa Diyos ay pag-ibig
Nang si Kristo’y isilang
May tatlong haring nagsidalaw
At ang bawa’t isa ay nagsipaghandog
Ng tanging alay
Chorus/Koro:
Bagong Taon ay magbagong-buhay
Nang Lumigaya ang ating bayan
Tayo’y magsikap upang makamtan
Natin ang kasaganaan
Tayo’y mangagsiawit
Habang ang mundo’y tahimik
Ang araw ay sumapit
Ng sanggol na dulot ng langit
Tayo ay magmahalan
Ating sundin ang gintong aral
At magbuhat ngayon
Kahit hindi Pasko ay magbigayan
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