Christmas:with a touch of Spain
Traditional Christmas festival celebration is way of life
How Asian country celebrates Christmas is different from the Western part of the world. Philippines celebrate Christmas as most Western countries celebrate 'New Year' and Christmas with big joy and enthusiasm, love and joy. Philippines are one of the Asian countries where celebrations of Christmas and New Year get big importance and with all fanfare. This is the best season for family gathering and reunion aside from other special occasion such as wedding or baptism.
The influence of different cultures is clearly visible on Filipinos the way they celebrate their festivals that reflects in certain manner. Most of the Filipino festivals have British, American or Spanish influence the way they speak and in their cultural affairs and celebrate festivals. Here are few examples of Spanish touches a section of Filipino follows during Christmas.
The Spanish connection
The name of Philippines itself comes from the erstwhile ruler of Spain, Philip II. Initially the name given to this beautiful country, which is a combination of islands founded by a SPANISH wanderer who found the group of more than seven thousand islands and named it ‘islands of Samara and Leyte’ - Las Islas Filipinas or The Philippine Islands. This is interesting to know that different provinces in the Philippines are having Spanish names like 'Nueva Vizcaya', Laguna, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Segovia, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, La Union, Antique, Negros Occidental, Marinduque, Negros Oriental, and Valle de Compostela the Spanish influence is clearly visible on Filipino culture and festivals also.
Monito, Monita or Kris Kringle – Exchange of gifts
Exchange of gifts in the Philippines has different styles such as Monito, Monita or Kris Kringle. Monito in Spanish means little monkey and Monita literally means little blonde or in general means friendliness and affectionate. Kris Kringle is a Western style means Secret Santa. These two kinds of exchange of gifts usually take place in offices and schools.
The Monito, Monita is popular among schoolchildren. Girls and boys generally write their names in a small paper roll it and put inside two separate boxes. The boy will pick one rolled paper from the girls’ box and the girls will pick one rolled paper from the boys’ box. The process decides about who is going to be her Monito or his Monita and hand the gift to that particular girl or boy on their school Christmas party.
The other method, Kris-Kringle is popular among coworkers in offices because the gifts remain mystery to the receiver unlike with Monito, Monita wherein Monito (the boy) will hand the gift to his Monita (girl). In Kris-Kringle style, the Secret Santa traditionally writes the name of the person on the gift and put it secretly on his or her table that makes the Kris Kringle more exciting and surprising than Monito-Monita style.
Misa de Gallo or Simbang gabi - ’The midnight mass’
Misa de Gallo is a Spanish version for midnight mass before Christmas or a mass celebrated at midnight of Christmas Eve. However, in the Philippines, Misa de Gallo is “Nine day of midnight mass celebration’ that starts on December 17 until Christmas Eve. Old folks believe that if any one wants to make a ‘wish’ he must complete the nine days of Misa de Gallo and your wish granted without fail. Misa de Gallo is most famous among lovers because of the general belief that completing the nine midnight mass would bless their relationship and make it successful.
‘Noche Buena’ stands for Christmas Eve
Noche Buena literally means Good night in Spanish language used by Filipinos to describe the big feast on Christmas Eve. Since Christmas is one of the best seasons for family reunion and gatherings, you should expect every household preparing all the special foods rarely served in general meals of daily life. One of the most traditional parts of Noche Buena is to share their foods with the neighbors to share the happiness of festival, as Filipinos are generally social people who live in complete harmony with their neighbors as most Asians do.
Usually the food distributed among the relatives, friends and neighbors well before the midnight. This means abundance, the traditional belief that more you give the more blessings you receive during coming years. After the food feast, everyone gathers in front of the Christmas tree with arrays of gifts is waiting for distribution. Traditionally, the oldest among the family the head of family is the person who is supposed to be in charge of distribution of gifts among friends, family and neighbors.
December 25, Christmas day is family day
Finally, the big day is here the Christmas and Christmas day in Philippines means family day. Parks, malls and other commercial establishments are likely to be most crowded during this day. Those who live in cities take this occasion to visit their relatives who live in provinces or nearby towns. Sometimes it is the other way round; relatives from provinces visit their relatives who live in the cities for a change and meet their friends and relatives. For the little kids this is the day to visit their Ninong and Ninang means Godfather and Godmother. Little kids will kiss or ask for blessings in “mano po” gesture in exchange of gifts from their Godfather or Godmother. For little kids, the more Ninong and Ninang mean more gifts and money.
Mano Po the way of life
Mano is a Spanish word means hand and ‘Po’ a Filipino word for showing or addressing respect to elders or older people. ‘Mano Po’ is all about taking the hand of the elders or older persons and touches it to the forehead of younger persons. This looks so similar to our own culture followed in India. However, there are so many similarities in between Philippines and Indian cultures that we never miss our country while in Philippines.
However, the over-all emphasis on Christmas celebrations remain with exchange of gifts, which is the most awaited part not only by kids but also by the young and elderly in Philippines, as they love to do it with all their strengths, might and interest. The gift giving symbolizes the gifts offered by the Three Kings to little Jesus. For Filipinos, ‘gifting’ giving and taking is the way of sharing blessings, showing love and most of all the best ways to turn enmity into friendship.
PS- Hope to visit Philippines during Christmas again.
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