The circus comes to Makati Shangri-La

MANILA, Philippines - When was the last time you went to the circus or a carnival? As an adult, you probably hoard precious memories of being in a circus as a child full of wide-eyed wonder.

This holiday season, Makati Shangri-La Manila celebrates the child in everyone as it brings its “Spectacular Christmas.” Yes, the circus has come to town — that is, to Shangri-La Makati — to add the “merry” to our Christmas. Think clowns, jugglers, acrobats, illusionists, dancers, and magic acts to delight kids from two to 92 years old.

“We must have noticed in our invitation we were not mentioning a traditional lighting ceremony,” Alain Borgers, general manager, Makati Shangri-La Manila and area manager, Shangri-La Philippine properties, addresses guests at the opening of Shang’s circus.  “This year, we have decided to innovate and get away from the traditional tree-lighting ceremony. And we decided to wait until December before doing our Christmas decor. We came up with a different theme that will inspire happiness throughout the festive season, to remind all of us that Christmas is coming soon with Santa Claus and his reindeer. It’s something enjoyable, entertaining, spectacular that may remind you more of a circus than a traditional Christmas lighting ceremony. We wanted to create something joyful, something that has movement, action. So we came up with a combination of a traditional Christmas and a circus.”

So, while all the other hotels and some malls are lighting up their Christmas trees, Shangri-La Makati has veered away from the cut-and-dried season-opener practice. Instead of lighting its Christmas trees (but not to worry, there are Christmas trees at Shang, too, dressed in all their holiday glory), Shangri-La Makati lights up our Christmas with its wonderful message and wondrous offerings for this merriest season of all.

“We should not forget the real message of Christmas — it’s a time for hope, a time for love, a time for affection, a time to be thankful for all the blessings we receive throughout the year.”

Instead of a single tree being lighted, the whole lobby of Shangri-La Makati is all aglow with vari-colored lights, circus ornaments, big trees, and all the attractions to make your eyes light up.

“Welcome to the Christmas circus,” the ringmaster invites everyone gathered at the lobby of Shangri-La Makati. “Yes, right before your eyes, an endless array of acts has been assembled for your delight and entertainment.”

So, step right in, and let the show begin ...

To send in the clowns and the jugglers and the acrobats and the illusionists, the poi dancers, and many other performers, Shang partnered with Alvin Trono’s Stages to supply the talents as well as with Audie Gemora.  Shang also brought in Robert Blancaflor to do the Christmas decor that can cast a magic spell on you.

“With all the negative things happening around us, we need some magic in our lives,” asserts Patti Javier, Makati Shangri-La director of communications. “These things may add magic to our stressful, depressing lives. But Filipinos are so resilient they can deal with whatever comes up.”

And when Christmas comes, can the goodies be far behind?

At Shang Makati, it’s beginning to taste a lot like Christmas.  Shang has come up with handcrafted holiday hampers wrapped in festive circus packaging  embossed with gold accents, and filled ’em up with assorted holiday eats and treats — mince pies, gingerbread loaves, marzipan stollens, Santa-shaped chocolates, Christmas-flavored teas, Christmas puddings, Christmas jams, Panettone bread, Prosecco Argeo wine, etc.

You can take home a slice of the Yuletide with the gourmet savories you can enjoy as your family gathers around the Christmas table — there are prawns, applewood-smoked salmon, glazed Virginia ham laced with pineapple and cinnamon, roasted pork loin, rosemary-crusted lamb rack, filet of Beef Wellington, roasted US ribeye with garden herbs, and roasted turkey with trimmings (prices start at P1,560).

Certainly, Christmas is so much sweeter with all the sweet treats one can enjoy especially during this time of the year.  Shang Makati executive pastry chef Romain Renard rolls out a new series of Yuletide logs inspired by the early Scandinavian tradition of burning Christmas wooden logs to celebrate the winter solstice. They come in assorted flavors to warm the heart and the tummy — raspberry and white chocolate, orange and dark chocolate, vanilla and carmelized hazelnut, Dulcey and mango banana, and coconut and pineapple  (at P1,525, available until Dec. 25).

“What I enjoy most about Christmas is the family reunion, the kids coming back home; Christmas is obviously a family affair,” declares Alain Borgers, who left his native Belgium 40 years ago.

As a child growing up in Europe, Alain remembers the snow and the cold. “It’s a different atmosphere from the Christmas in Asia — playing in the snow, making Snowman, I have a strong memory of all that.”

When Alain came to the Philippines 20 years ago, he says it was a bit difficult in the beginning, because instead of snow, “the weather is always warm and beautiful.”

Alain not only fell in love with the weather here but also with a beautiful Filipina who became his wife. Now, Christmas is doubly meaningful for Alain. “My wife Carmela has brothers and sisters so we spend Christmas either in one of her siblings’ house or in our house,” Alain relates. “We never go away for Christmas because it’s a busy time for hotels.”

He adds with a twinkle in his eyes, “Christmas is always a happy time for Filipinos, what with everybody coming home to spend Christmas with their loved ones. Christmas here has a more religious meaning, a more family meaning compared to Europe where it’s more like a tradition and people may have forgotten the meaning behind it.”

Especially for families, Shang Makati rolls out the red carpet and a whole line of activities/festivities, freebies and surprises for Christmas.

Guests staying at Makati Shang are entitled to one entry to the raffle promo where the lucky winner and a companion get a two-night stay each at Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong, and Shangri-La Hotel Singapore with round-trip airfare via Cathay Pacific Airways.

Guests also get a raffle voucher to the hotel’s two holiday room packages — Yuletide Escape and Seasons of Suite Luxury. With the Yule Escape, you can book any room from Dec. 15 to 28 and from Jan. 1 to 10, 2016 starting at a special rate of P6,800++++, which includes a buffet breakfast for two adults and two children below six years old at Circles Event Cafe. With the Suite Luxury, book a Deluxe Room for two nights and get the third night free from Dec. 15 to Jan. 10, 2016, at a special rate of P13,800+++ per night, which includes a daily buffet breakfast for two adults and two children below six at Circles Event Cafe.

Kids and kids-at-heart can meet and greet Santa Claus at the hotel lobby on Dec. 24 from 7 to 9 p.m. and on Dec. 25 from noon till 2 p.m. Santa by appointment? He must really have his hands full! Don’t be naughty now and be very nice because Santa’s handing out candy canes to all the good little girls and boys.

But of course, there will be circus acts on Dec. 19; poi dancers on Dec. 13; jugglers on Dec. 20. So, don’t do a disappearing act now and catch them from noon to 2:30 p.m. and from 7 to 10 p.m. on these dates.

Yes, we must keep the circus going inside us and keep the magic of Christmas glowing in our hearts.

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For inquiries, call 813-8888. Follow Makati Shangri-La, Manila on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @MakatiShangriLa.