Pinoy Christmas in their hearts
By Wowie Huang-Teves
Mom About Town
“Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays….
For the holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home.”
These heartwarming lines from the Christmas song “(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays” hold such special significance for our kababayans who will be commemorating this merry season away from the Philippines.
Canada-based Mai Carriedo with husband PJ will be celebrating their 11th Christmas away from the Philippines with their three kids Andre, Ashton, and Anton. Meanwhile, this year will be former Davao Christian High School teacher Nelia Davis’ 7th time to spend Christmas in the US with her American spouse Lindsey and only son Christian.
Albert Louie Cauilan, who works as a dialysis nurse in Modesto, California, has not celebrated Christmas in Davao with his wife Maria Reina and children Lorraine and Aaron for the past 13 years. On the other hand, Judee Zambales who is a UK-based nurse used to go home to the Philippines in December if her schedule permitted. The last time she, her husband Bryan and daughter Alexa visited their family in Manila and Davao was in 2018.
When asked what they missed about Christmas in the Philippines, they all agree that they looked forward to the family get-togethers, wondrous sight of decorations being displayed as early as September; Christmas caroling; sumptuous Noche Buena; and staying up till midnight to open the gifts.
No matter the distance, these Dabawenyos carry on the meaningful tradition of celebrating Christmas in their uniquely Pinoy way.
Bring home the baon
Mai shares that they usually celebrate Christmas dinner together with their friends from Davao with a Filipino-style party where they bring their own specialty dish to share with everyone. For her, the most exciting part for all the mommies is the after-party “left-overs”. “Everyone packs whatever is left for lunch the following day or “baon for work”. We love it because it saves us cooking for the next day,” she says amusingly.
Another activity the Carriedos love to do during Christmas time is visiting different Christmas bazaars. “This year, our Philippine Consulate in Vancouver invited us to join our very own “Maligayang Pasko Vancouver Market” where vendors showcased different Filipino products. Our booth (Eat Kanadiyan) displayed all kinds of kakanin like puto, kutchinta, pichi-pichi, and cassava. It was fun joining the market because we feel we are in the Philippines. There were vendors selling parols, taho, sorbetes, siopao, and other native products,” says Mai who works as a controller at Mobital Creative Imports.
Singing their hearts out
“Here in the US, if you want to finish the 9 days Simbang Gabi, you need to go to different churches that sponsor the Simbang Gabi. After church, Pinoy food is served and then the party begins. In terms of decorating houses, we usually start doing that after Thanksgiving. Some Filipinos will gather and have a potluck, Secret Santa, and exchanging of gifts. Line dancing is very common at every party with a DJ, too. And, of course, the most favorite activity of Pinoys is the karaoke singing,” reveals Nelia, an intake and PT coordinator in one of the pioneering home health companies in the US.
Albert, on the other hand, together with his wife puts up their Christmas decors immediately after Halloween. “Many begin decorating after Thanksgiving, but as Filipinos, we decorate when the BER months begin. We have our Filipino Christmas party with a lot of Filipino cuisine. We also have games, gift-giving, and singing (MagicSing),” he divulges.
Kumukutikutitap
In the last 5 years or so, Judee observed that the number of Filipinos in the UK has grown. Due to this, they were able to bring family customs and traditions from back home. “For Christmas caroling, we joined the choir here in the UK like many other Filipinos in other parts of the country, we get to sing Christmas songs during the mass. Also, many parish priests here in the UK have really treasured our ingrained devotion to Catholicism, that in many parts of the area here in London, we now have Simbang Gabi. The only difference is, as compared to the Philippines, here in the UK, we celebrate it in the evening,” she points out.
For the Christmas lights and parol, the Zambales family was fortunate enough to buy a parol made in the Philippines, so every year they always put that up by their window. Without fail, they always get praises on how pretty it is from their British neighbors and passers-by. For the Christmas lights, like many Filipinos here in the UK, Judee says they have the traditional visits to see the lights of London in Carnaby, Oxford, and Regent Streets.
Celebrating with loved ones in spirit
With recipes handed down from their families and the help of YouTube, these Dabawenyos feasts on Noche Buena favorites that remind them of home, like lechon, kare-kare, pancit bihon, mango sago, macaroni salad, embutido, leche flan, pineapple-glazed ham, barbeque, puto bumbong, and lumpia.
For Mai, the taste of these delicacies fills not only their tummies but their hearts as well. “I wish that this Christmas will bring everyone a spark of hope that whatever we are going through in our lives today, we have a Savior who is the reason for the season whom we can trust and will never fail us.”
“To all my family, friends, and students, I know it’s been rough and tough for this past two years because of the pandemic, but this will not be the reason for us not to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us always remember that He is the best gift we ever received in the life of humankind. In everything that we have right now, let us give thanks unto the Lord,” Nelia reminds loved ones back home.
Judee’s message for her family and friends in the Philippines is that “this too shall pass” and one day, she hopes they will all be together to celebrate Christmas. “May you always have the gift of Faith, that with God’s plan everything will be alright; the blessings of Hope, that one day we will be able to see and hold each other’s arms once again; and the Peace of His Love, that He is with us this Christmas and always”.
Albert prays that their loved ones will all continue to be strong in their faith to whom this celebration is being dedicated, the Lord Jesus Christ. “We miss celebrating Christmas in the Philippines with our friends and family. We really hope someday we get the chance to visit during the Christmas season. Iba talaga and Paskong Pinoy!”.
E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit http://momabouttowndavao.blogspot.com/.
