Christmas is a big deal in the Philippines, with some Filipinos going all out when it comes to partying and celebrating the holidays.
My OFS, Charlyne and Mark (they’re a couple), are one of those people who go all out during the holidays. They throw big celebrations for their family and friends.
It has to be a big celebration not only because they invite their extended family, but they also have 21 dogs and 6 cats (not a typo!).
So, yeah. A big family means big celebrations.
I’ll let Charlyne tell you about it:
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The last two weeks of the year have always been my absolute fave! When I was a student, it was all about the epic get-togethers and serious feasts – bring on the food coma!
It all kicked off with school year-end parties, marking the official start of the Christmas break.
Growing up, Christmas breaks were a blast. All my cousins would turn up at our place, and it was time for all things fun – Scrabble showdowns, hula hooping madness, movie marathons – you name it! Looking back, those two weeks were like our peak activity time.
*From the right to left: Charlyne, Mark and one of their daughters.
On Christmas Eve, we don’t sleep and wish Santa would leave us presents under the tree. Instead of sleeping, we’d be up all night playing party games. We’d go head-to-head, eyeing that pot money the elders have pooled together.
And at the stroke of midnight, it’s time for the monito-manita – because who needs sleep when there are surprise gifts to exchange!?!?!
The days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve are filled with reheated food, more games, more stories, and more movies!
Celebrating the New Year is unique in the Philippines. It’s unique in that every family does it differently, but something still ties them together.
Filipinos believe that for evil spirits and negative energy to leave your home, you have to scare them away by being as loud as possible. The deafening pop of firecrackers would start as early as noon on December 31st (fireworks in many places start even earlier, even before Christmas) and continue well into noon on January 1st.
I remember going to the market with my mom and getting 13 round fruits, even those we don’t really eat because it is believed to bring money and riches all year round. 13 is considered a lucky number (12 for some). It is a Chinese New Year tradition that Filipino families have continued to do for both Roman and Chinese calendar New Year.
When the clock struck 12, we would jump as high as possible! Because those who don’t won’t grow any taller in the coming year.
These three are what I remember from when I was a child until I was a young adult. Back then, we’d have family gatherings with the extended family. But as time passed and we all got older, we stopped gathering as we all had other places to be.
After college, I had to leave home to work in a call center in Cebu City. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve were spent at the office with my headphones on. It was sad, but at least I could see the fireworks from my office window. This was when I fell in love with watching fireworks.
I returned to the province to put down roots and be closer to family. Now, Christmastime is always spent with all of my siblings, with food, stories, board games, and movies.
On Christmas Eve, we spend the whole day preparing the food – slicing, dicing, cooking – and when evening comes, we are all tired and just want to sit around together and be with each other.
Mark and Charlyne’s daughter with one of their 21 dogs.
We do it all again on New Year’s Eve, only this time, we ensure we have the round fruits on the table. As grown-ups, we have given up hope that jumping at midnight would make us taller. So, we focus on keeping the bad energy away and bringing good luck and riches into the new year.
We put lots of coins in our pockets to clink them together to make the noise, drive away negative energy, and ensure that our pockets will always have money in them.
We also open all faucets in our home because the water flowing signifies good luck and riches flowing into our home.
Another one is that we turn on all the lights, and all of our vehicles, to ensure they will be in working condition in the coming year.
Lastly, we also throw coins into our house; this signifies, well, money coming into our home. This is especially enjoyable for the children, who will pick every coin in a frenzy. They’ll have some money they can put in their coin banks and buy trinkets and snacks in the coming days.
When all our “ceremonies” are done, we go out and enjoy the fireworks courtesy of our neighbors.
Writing these down now makes me realize how busy we are during that last minute of the year and the first minute of the new year. I imagine how we’d all be running around to ensure everything is as it should be.
The 2024 New Year’s Eve was actually the first New Year my siblings and I celebrated separately. I knew this time would come when they would be obliged to celebrate with their spouse’s family, but their absence was really felt. Our home felt huge as only my husband, two kids, and I were here. Well, we had our 21 dogs and 6 cats (those numbers are not typos) joining the party, but having my siblings brought the heart to the occasion.
Charlyne and Mark’s siblings with their spouses on a Zoom call.
The excitement for the new year and the fireworks display only lasted for a little while because, at the back of my mind, I knew I had to find my phone and celebrate with my siblings virtually, too.
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I encourage you to ask your OFS about their holidays. Ask them how they celebrate. Let them share pictures and videos of their family with you. Get to know them a bit better. Ask them what they’re looking forward to in the coming year. It’s a small step to building a connection and trust with them.
John