Enjoy this description of Alveary member Melissa B’s Filipino Christmas traditions.
For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6, Douay-Rheims)
My family moved to the U.S. in the 1980’s to escape a tumultuous, oppressive regime in the Philippines. With not much more than their Catholic faith, a good education, and a promise of a good job for my father at Merrill Lynch, my parents took a huge risk in leaving their family and homeland in hope of a better life in America. As a first generation Filipino-born American, I was instilled at a young age with tradition and the importance of keeping tradition alive. One of these traditions is the Filipino cultural celebration of Christmas. The Philippine islands were colonized by Spain for 333 years. As a result, most Filipinos are Roman Catholic.
In preparation for Christmas, many Filipinos celebrate Simbang Gabi, or night Mass. During the Spanish era, many Filipinos were farmers who would rise early in the morning for nine consecutive days preceding Christmas to attend holy Mass. A Christmas star lantern, called a parol, which is similar to the lantern used during the Mexican celebration of Los Posadas, would light the way for Mass-goers in the towns. It is traditionally placed outside of Filipino homes during the Christmas season as a symbol of the star that led the three kings to the Christ child. This Mass novena (nine successive days of prayer, following the pattern of Pentecost) is said at 5:00 in the morning, followed by Filipino breakfasts and fanfare. On the last day of the novena, the morning of December 24th, a larger celebration takes place, often involving dances, such as the tinikling, the national dance of the Philippines. Many Catholic churches have large numbers of Filipino groups that ensure this tradition is continued. In some places, Filipinos from different churches will gather and take turns hosting this celebration at their parish.
Following the nine days of Masses, many Filipinos begin their Christmas celebration at the Misa de Gallo, or Rooster’s Mass, said at midnight on Christmas Eve. During the mass, the sound of the bells, the smell of incense, and the liturgy itself envelop the senses and awaken the soul. My parish happens to have a large number of Filipinos and one of the songs that is played after the distribution of Holy Communion is a traditional Filipino Christmas song called Payapang Daigdig. This song (translated on the left) was written after the complete destruction of Manila during the Japanese occupation in World War II. Manila, once known as the ‘Pearl of the Orient,’ was said to be the second most devastated city of the Allies as a result of the war. It is said the writer Felipe de León wrote this piece on Christmas Eve after the liberation from the Japanese occupation when there was nothing left to destroy.
After midnight mass is dismissed, many Filipino families celebrate Noche Buena, a tradition passed down by the Spanish. My family has been celebrating this since the time of the Spanish era, eating food similar to what generations before had partaken of, including Jamón, pan, queso, y chocolate. Ensaimada, also from the Spanish, is a brioche-type bun covered in sugar and cheese, another traditionally-served dish. Then gifts are opened and the night ends around 4:00 in the morning. As exhausting as the night sounds, the children enjoy the celebration (as I did when I was young), opening gifts from Santa whose passing by happened, conveniently, while we were at Mass. Christmas day itself is spent sleeping in and preparing for a simple dinner of roast pork and other Filipino delicacies.
This year, the celebration will be quite different from the past. Some churches will not hold midnight mass, since Mass is held outdoors due to state restrictions, and not all family members will be present this time. Despite this, the tradition will continue but in a different way. We will still use the finest china, stemware, and heirloom silverware we own; we will still eat the traditional meal; but things will be much more quiet without the rest of the family around. As I reminisce about the occurrences that defined this past year–the pandemic, the riots, religious genocide, war, and churches being vandelized; the wave of fear, the divided nation, and the hatred that fueled so much angst–the music of Felipe de León, Payapang Daigdig, plays in my head as a sign of hope and the good that is to come out of this. The hope that Felipe de León had after seeing his beloved city completely decimated. The hope my own parents had for a new start in an unknown country. Our own hopes for a safer tomorrow, free of fear for our children. It is out of this hope that I pass on my traditions to my children. For, as the parol lanterns that gave light to the farmers’ path in preparation for the celebration of the birth of the Christ child; so too should we be the light of hope, showing the path for others searching for peace in a challenging and sometimes seemingly dark world. A hope for peace only God, the Prince of Peace Himself, can bestow.
