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Some things never change, and one of it is the way we Filipinos celebrate Christmas. We shall always have a grand Christmas tree lighting at least a month before Christmas, have our own Christmas tree at home or a facsimile of the Belen, serve Christmas food with queso de bola and prepare gifts to place under the tree. As early as now, we already have planned our activities for the Christmas season and compiled a list of activities to choose from so reservations can be made in advance.

It is a well-known industry practice among the competing Philippine television channels to come out with a station ID before Christmas for use during the entire holiday season. 

ABS-CBN’s Station ID Thank You, Ang Babait Ninyo centers on gratitude which marks the station’s 12th Christmas station ID, following a string of hits that paid tribute to the Filipino sense of community and spirit amid disasters. The song is performed by The Voice Kids’ Top 4 Lyca Gairanod, Darren Espanto, Juan Karlos Labajo and Darlene Vibares.

At the same time, ABS-CBN is offering three Christmas stories billed Give Love on Christmas Presents. The first special titled The Gift Giver is led by Eddie Garcia; the second titled The Gift Of Life with Gerald Anderson and Maja Salvador; and the last Exchange Gift is with Paulo Avelino and KC Concepcion.

In the case of rival GMA 7, the Christmas Station ID Share the Love, Share the Joy  shifts attention from the stars in the stable to the survivors of Supertyphoon Yolanda. Instead of a soundstage, GMA stars Mel Tiangco, Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes go on location to Tacloban, Leyte where the Kapuso Village has been partially completed. The ID starts with actual footage of Supertyphoon Yolanda’s wrath, narrated by Jessica Soho. Skipping to almost a year later, smiles and sunny skies greet the Kapuso delegation as well as spanking new GMA houses. The network tapped Julie Anne San Jose to perform the theme song Share the Love. The ID ends with an epilogue of 172 families having moved into their new houses at the Kapuso Village, the first permanent relocation housing community in Tacloban.

Next year, 400 more families will have their own homes in the same complex. The network decided to utilize its storytelling skills by producing a documentary-like station ID — a decision that paid off in the end.

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