Early Christmas fever kicks in

MANILA, Philippines – A week after All Souls’ Day, the yuletide season kicked off with early festive activities for Christmas.

Mall goers can now experience white Christmas at the Polar Express Train in SM City Marilao in Bulacan.

The Polar Express Train, launched yesterday, contains a snow playground shipped from Italy.

The snow playground allows guests to experience winter activities like snowball making and snowman building, SM City Marilao public relations officer Gladiz May Latiza told The STAR.

The snow playground uses a highly sophisticated snow-making machine that rapidly turns frozen water into small ice crystals or snowflakes. Guests are allowed to play with simulated snow.

The snow playground measures 48 square meters and can accommodate 30 to 35 people. The entrance fee is inclusive of rubber boots in kiddie and adult sizes. It is open until Jan. 10, 2016.

In Tarlac City, the annual belen-making competition was launched on Thursday in front of Camp Sevillano Aquino of the Northern Luzon Command.

Isa Cojuangco-Suntay, chair of Tarlac Heritage Foundation, said 42 belens (nativity scenes) entered the 8th Belenismo sa Tarlac competition. More would like to join the contest but did not meet the deadline due to Typhoon Lando.

All the belens in this year’s competition were made of recycled materials such as CDs, paper plates and plastic cups. The competition has four categories: grand, church, community and monumental.

Suntay said the participants are from different towns of the province, while others are establishments like Jollibee and McDonald’s.