The Philippines shows the world how to celebrate Christmas
The southeast Asian island nation has the world's longest festive season -- and pulls no punches in its celebratory zeal for the period, with lavish light displays, masses, and festivals held throughout the country from September until January.
One of the most populous nations in Asia, the Philippines is an overwhelmingly Christian nation. Approximately 90% of Filipinos are Christian and 80% of those are Catholic, an influence gleaned from the country's period as a Spanish colony from the sixteenth century until the end of the nineteenth.
As a result, while many countries concentrate on the commercial side of Christmas, Filipinos attend several masses throughout the Christmas season and faith forms an intrinsic part of celebrations.
A traditionally Filipino event is Simbang Gabi, a series of masses held over nine nights culminating in Christmas Eve. It is believed that if you make a wish after completing the nine masses, it will come true.
As early as September, when the dark nights come, it is not unusual to see a series of spectacular Christmas displays popping up in malls, parks and open spaces across the country, CNN reports.
Student Christian Ian V. Bordo from Laguna province in the Philippines loves the beautiful 'parols' lights created by artisan Francisco Estanislao in 1928 and originally made of bamboo and paper that are hung up throughout towns and villages.
"[The parols are] as important to Filipinos as the Christmas tree to Western culture -- without parols Christmas wouldn't be complete," he declared.
"The lanterns were used by people to light their paths during the ritual Yuletide dawn masses called 'Misa de Gallo' [midnight mass], because electricity was unavailable at the time in many rural areas."
Such lanterns are now more likely to glow with electronic lights, but the ethos remains the same -- a guiding light in the darkness for worshippers wanting to congregate and pray.
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