CHRISTMAS ESSENCE!

Reference: https://wealthinsights.metrobank.com.ph/bworldonline/phls-foreign-debt-service-bill-falls-to-10b-at-end-sept/ December marks the year’s end and a time for holidays and festivities. Dazzling decorations are up; Christmas carols are often on replay; and streets and neighborhoods are filled with colorful lights. Globally, celebrating Christmas differs in each country; and in the Philippines, people have more unique ways of celebrating the holiday. Unlike other countries, a Filipino Christmas is quite lengthy; and the Christmas season here is known to be the longest Christmas season in the world. Filipinos are starting to decorate and light up their surroundings, play popular Christmas songs, and planning for festivities as early as September. Christmas is a festive time when loved ones come together. The season is a reminder of the love and strong bond that ties families for a long time. Many families travel a long way to celebrate the holiday to reunite with families and friends over delicious meals and fun stories that fill homes with laughter and joy. Christmas is also known as the season of giving. In addition to exchanging well-thought gifts, there is another means of giving that puts a twist to the usual gift-giving. “Monito Monita” is usually done among family, friends, schoolmates, or workmates. In the gift exchange, before giving the gift straightforwardly, you must describe the person. A further twist to this giving is where participants give something related to a given theme, such as “something cute,” “something heavy,” etc. While unwrapping gifts is great, there’s nothing as exciting as opening a red envelope with money inside, which is called ang pao, often given by godparents (ninong or ninang) to their godchildren (inaanak).