It’s not a secret that the Philippines have the
longest celebration of Christmas season in the world when in fact, it's one of the most
anticipated holidays of the year and a big deal for most Filipinos.
Starting in September, you’ll see colorful lanterns
and Christmas lights illuminate the night, families are already busy decorating their homes and putting up Christmas trees, children singing Christmas carols, malls
overflowing with people looking for gifts, and some locals
attending early Catholic masses known as “Misa de Gallo” or “Simbang Gabi”.
You might hear it before but let us accentuate it:
“Holidays are really more fun in the Philippines!”. Here are some suggestions of
where best to experience a cheery Christmas, the Filipino way!
CAVITE
Experience a different kind of holiday at one of the
most historical places in the country! Imus is not called the “Christmas
Capital of Cavite” for nothing, from a 30-day countdown, adorned Christmas tree
and lanterns, vibrant flashing lights, and series of programs organized by the
local government for the locals and tourists, it’s the jolliest celebration
you’ll ever have!
Plus, its neighboring cities also have their own way
of celebrating this festivity. General Trias City celebrates the “Arroz
Valenciana Festival”, street dance competition and other Christmas activities,
while in Dasmarinas City, residents and officials hold the annual “Paru-Paru
(Butterfly) and Street Dance Festival” to mark the city’s founding anniversary
and the Christmas season.
While everyone is merrymaking, Caviteños don’t forget
the essence of this season, which is the birth of Jesus Christ.
CEBU
Looking for somewhere to perk up your Christmas vibes?
Then head on to Cebu because the Queen City of the South got you covered.
Feel like a local and join them light up the biggest
Christmas Tree in the City also known as Tree of Hope and enjoy the annual
"Pasko sa Sugbo" offering everyone various activities from different
organization and various sectors of the community.
Get ready for a shopping spree ‘cause numerous bazaars
kicks off during this time of the year. After, get mesmerized by Ayala Mall's Symphony
of Lights featuring a 5-minute show of lights and sounds.
ZAMBOANGA
Photo courtesy of Zamboanga Hermosa Festival Facebook Page
When you’re thinking of
spending your Christmas holiday away from home, Zamboanga may be an underrated
choice for you, but it’s something that you won’t regret. Got a doubt on this
one? Here’s something to convince you.
In recent years, Pascua
de Zamboanga Festival has become a more spectacular sight. This year, the century-old
and historic City Hall was illuminated by thousands of lights and so are other
more landmarks such as Plaza Pershing, Paseo del Mar, Rizal Street, Veterans
Memorial Monument, and Jardin Maria Clara in Pasonanca Park.
Complementing this year’s
theme “I Love Zamboanga”, the lights is not just for show but to encourage
everyone to love the city more and be united in the spirit of Christmas!
MANILA
As bright and as sparkly
as the Christmas lights and lanterns all over the metropolis, Manila indeed
makes the perfect place to celebrate the holidays.
Considering that it’s the
capital of the country, Manila got an array of everything from entertainment,
activities, to food crawl. Everything is alive from day to night and what more
if it’s the Yuletide season?
BAGUIO
Want to know the most
Filipino way to celebrate Christmas? Spend the holidays at Baguio City. Though it
is dubbed as the “Summer Capital of the Philippines”, this city is also the top
choice of most locals during the Yuletide Season because of the cool weather
making you forget that you’re in a tropical country!
What not to miss? The
Christmas Village attraction by Baguio Country Club! This year, they got a
treat for every spectator which is the Santa's Village theme. It’ll be filled
with thousands of fresh and artificial flowers, artificial snow show, and
bright lights.
Various artists will also
re-enact the scene of Nativity and offer nightly entertainment. Now that's
something to get you into a festive mood.
PAMPANGA
Top of the list is none other than the “Christmas
Capital of the Philippines”. This is what we guarantee, there’s no place you’d
rather be during the Yuletide Season but in Pampanga.
We see why people from
different regions and even from outside the country visits Pampanga.
During this time of the year, feed your eyes with their giant lanterns skilfully handcrafted by the locals. They also hold a contest for it where villages compete, proudly showcasing huge intricate lanterns for everyone to see. It's not just their creativity that leaves spectators in awe but also how big and bright the way they celebrate the Christmas Season.
During this time of the year, feed your eyes with their giant lanterns skilfully handcrafted by the locals. They also hold a contest for it where villages compete, proudly showcasing huge intricate lanterns for everyone to see. It's not just their creativity that leaves spectators in awe but also how big and bright the way they celebrate the Christmas Season.
As if they’re not
creative enough, spectators come back for more as their lanterns gets more extravagant
and vibrant each year! And that’s something worth waiting for right?
These are just some of the few places
you can visit while spending the holidays in the Philippines, but there are
still so much more to see, activities to do, and attraction to get mesmerized with. Just make sure to mark these places on your calendar when planning the best
Christmas Celebration!
Oh, and take our advice for this upcoming holiday season,
there are many underrated towns and islands in this country that you can visit, so do not limit yourself in the city or comforts of your hotel.
What's important is that you respect what this season is all about, make the
most out of your stay, and create the best Philippine Christmas memories
together with the locals!
***
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