My Filipino Christmas story

Looking back at this past Christmas, I have realized that most of our activities as a family have been with the same traditional practices that characterize a Filipino Christmas. Filipino Christmas customs and traditions have the same characteristics every year, in good times and in bad. There are only three groups that in my observation deviate from these traditional practices.

The first are the poorest of the poor who are just not able to transcend their day-to-day struggle for survival. I notice though that even among the poor families, the old customs prevail.

The second group are the richest of the rich who seem to prefer spending their Christmas in foreign countries amidst opulent luxuries like ski resorts in Japan and westernized countries where there is still a “white Christmas.”

The third group are those overseas Filipino workers who sadly cannot come home for the holidays and many of them must work even during Christmas, since they live in countries where Christmas is not a holiday.

But for the overwhelming majority of Filipinos, it is very clear that they share some similar traditions. The first is the “coming home,” where Christmas must necessarily be celebrated with family at home. This is the reason why during the holiday season, our airports are teeming not with tourists, but with Filipinos coming home to their families. The local ports and bus terminals are also filled with people rushing to go home, wherever that may be. And for Filipinos, home is where their family is.

In my own family celebration on Christmas Day, ever since my parents and my wife’s parents passed away, we have been the host of the annual Christmas Day celebration. This Christmas, my brothers Chuck and Alex came from Antique and Bago City, Negros Occidental. Also from Antique where they reside were my niece Aphrodite, her partner Alex and the youngest member of the family, 18-month-old Elias. My daughter Tanya and granddaughter Juliana came from Dublin, northern California to spend their vacation with us. On Christmas Day, they were joined by other relatives living in the Metro Manila area. These included my wife’s brother Nelin Sta. Romana, nephew Gabby Besa and my son Roel and daughter-in-law Agnes, who live in Mandaluyong.s The Regalados, my niece Cybele and her husband Rommel, were also there with their son Rafa and daughter Maia who came from her London-based school. We were missing Norman and Chris, the sons of Chito and Nancy Sta. Romana, as they now live in Canada.

In the Philippines, this is what is considered family. There will be other gatherings which we refer to as clan gatherings which could number into the hundreds, like the annual Sta. Romana clan reunion faithfully hosted by nephew Atty. Jackie Cruz on Jan. 5.

The actual family gathering on Christmas Day again followed the same traditional features. First, there was the generous holiday buffet spread. The quality may vary from family to family, depending on how much the host can afford. But in all families, rich, middle class or even poor, there is always the desire to ensure that there will be an abundance of food to be served.

After the lunch, there was the usual program, which has been typical of my family’s Christmas gatherings for as long as I can remember. The emcees may vary. A year ago, it was my son Roel and this year, it was my niece Cybele. But there seems to be certain practices that never change. Children are often required to participate and be part of the show. My granddaughter Nana had to dance by herself in the middle of the gathering to show us the latest APT dance craze. Then came the singing performances by individuals. There were trivia quizzes on guessing songs and movies with just the first lines as hints.

As the most senior member of the family, I felt it was necessary to open the program with a short message for the younger generations to appreciate family roots by narrating how our ancestor Si Cang Co from Fookien became Sicangco, my mother’s branch of the family.

Unexpectedly, we had a walk-in caroling group, the Young Pinoy Musicians, who rang the doorbell, asking if they could sing for us. They were no ragtag group for they came fully prepared, dressed in formal long gowns, surprising us all.

For me, the highlight was when my wife asked everyone to speak on their 2024 highlights and hopes for 2025, a welcome idea she borrowed from Noel Ferrer’s recent Christmas/birthday party she was raving about.

The last event has always been the exchange of gifts, which is done by turn by every family. And the customary unbelievably long process of picture-taking by the Christmas tree. The lengthy process was because the photos had to be taken by family, by generations and other combinations. Until the final family group photo with different Christmas accessories accumulated by my daughter Aina over the years in a huge suitcase.

There were three generations in that celebration. I wanted to write about the tradition of a Filipino Christmas party in the hope that the future generations will be motivated to keep alive this beautiful and unique celebration since it begins in September, all through to Jan. 6. The blessings and joys of the season to all!

*      *      *

Email: [email protected]