Christmas Wonderland in the 3rd Kahayag Festival

I just returned from a very short visit to my Beloved's parents somewhere in Davao del Norte. It is a visit that I truly enjoyed, not only because of the good care that was given to me by my future-in-laws, but also because of the few places that we visited during the trip.

One of those places is the town of Carmen and their Kahayag Festival.

I didn't expect to see anything grand in Carmen. But I was glad that I was wrong. Lights filled the town plaza in front of the municipal hall.

Towering Christmas trees of Carmen.

Kahayag Festival is a joint activity of the municipal government of Carmen and the private sector. Barangays of Carmen, schools and businesses in the town made their own Christmas trees, belens and lanterns. The result is a sight to behold.

It was my first time to see so many Christmas trees in one place!

I believe that Kahayag Festival is a good idea. People Carmen have something to enjoy every night at the plaza. The competition for the best Christmas decor brought out the creativity of the people and that’s another plus point.

One notable belen (Nativity scene) is this one, located in the middle of the plaza:

The three kings are present. Mama Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus are also present. Sheeps and a cow were there too. Everything seems normal until I saw an elf in Santa costume pumping water.

I didn’t know that there’s an elf when Jesus was born.

Kidding aside, the Christmas decors in Kahayag Festival looked great. Here are some Christmas “scenes” that I saw:

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Even Jose Rizal’s monument was well lighted. The national hero looks fab. :-P

We checked every Christmas tree in Kahayag Festival and the tree that got our vote is this tree:

And I think this is my best shot:

So if you are in Davao del Norte this Christmas Season, I suggest that you visit Kahayag Festival.

The giant Christmas trees and other decors are located in front of the municipal hall. It can be reached, from Davao City, by riding any Tagum-bound bus. Alight at Carmen bus terminal and the municipal hall is just a short walk away.

Dancing Lights at Ayala Triangle

My beloved asked me to take her to the now-talked-about Christmas Light show at Ayala Triangle. I instantly answered “yes” to her request. Like her, I also wanted to see Ayala Christmas lights and snap mesmerizing photos like those in Lantaw's blog. What’s more interesting is that those Christmas lights “moves” with the music.
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The big "tunnel," fronting Ayala Avenue, is the entrance to Ayala Garden.

We reached Ayala Triangle at around 7 PM and we saw that the place is packed with people. Well, who wouldn’t be attracted to visit Ayala Triangle and see the Christmas lights show for free? The spectators of the “Symphony of Lights,” as the Christmas Lights show is called, are mostly composed of employees from Makati and families. Professional photographers abound too.
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Kids enjoy the “Symphony of Lights,” especially when the lights started to “dance” and change into different colors.
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It is white Christmas after all.

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Kids enjoy playing with this inflatable "star."

Being at the Ayala Triangle Garden for the “Symphony of Lights” is way better than looking at the photos of it. Photos can capture the lights but it can never capture the sounds and ambiance of the place. I almost danced with lights when “Winter Wonderland” was played. What kept me from dancing is my beloved who is too shy to dance.

Each performance last about 30 minutes with 30 minutes gap between performances. Ayala Christmas lights show is open from 6 PM to 9 PM. We used the gap time to take photos. The problem is that it's hard to get good shots because of the crowd.

Ayala's Christmas light show is on its second year. The show is a good respite for employees in Makati Business District. The dancing lights brings to the mind the good things that Christmas brings.

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A Greater Gift than Legos

I remember my childhood days when I always ask my father, day in and day out, to buy me a set of Lego. I vaguely remember the scene but it always happen every time my father prepares for work. I always tell him, “Papa, papa, ibili mo ako ng Lego” (Papa, papa, buy me a Lego). He always reply, “Ano? Gusto mo ng ligo” (What? Do you want to bathe?). In short, my father never bought me a set of Lego. I had no choice but to play with toys that I got free from cheap chichiria (snacks). I have used my imagination to play war, fight a dragon, or build a kingdom.

I suddenly remembered this episode of my childhood when I passed by a Lego store while I was walking around Trinoma Mall. It made me recall that my father failed to give the things that I wanted, even if I asked for it earnestly.

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My thoughts wandered from my childhood memory to God. In my prayers, I always ask God for many things. I ask Him,  not only for material things, but also the things concerning my Faith. I get so impatient for many times that I think that God is so slow to act. It is as if that He acts like my earthly father who only responded with jokes to avoid giving in to the request of His child.

Just like that Lego episode, I asked God specific things and expected Him to respond the way I want Him to. My father did not give me the Lego set that I wanted but he gave me better things. He worked hard and provided the things that I truly need, which are the things that enabled me to continue my childhood imaginations that do not require Legos. God listens to my requests and He responds by giving me things that are better than what I expected.

Giving us the best things is what God is good at. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, we human beings are waiting for our redemption from Death. We are burdened by our sinfulness but we have an inkling that God is working to save us. It is just that we didn't know how He will do it. The Jews, during the time of the Gospels, believed that God will redeem His people through political power. They are wrong, however, because God gave them a better way of redemption that save Jews and Gentiles alike.
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Jesus Christ is God and people expected Him to be clothed in kingly apparel like King David. Yet God chose the better, nay the best, route and that is by showing His humility by being born on the manger. This humility is the one we celebrate this Christmas Day.

We always ask God for “Legos” but God always give us things that are better than Legos. This is the lesson that I learned when I saw that Lego store. I believe that this is also the lesson that we should learn this Christmas.

What to Do During Karoling Season

Sa maybahay ang aming bati, “merry Krismas na malwalhati.”
Ang pag-ibig ang siyang naghari, sana araw-araw ay magiging Pasko lagi.
Ang sanhi po ng pagparito, hihingi po ng aginaldo.
Kung sakaling kami’y perwisyo, pasensya na kayo kami'y namamasko.

I bet that many of you (if you are in the Philippines) already heard that popular Christmas song this time of the year. Well, it is Christmas Season, which is the perfect time for enterprising kids to brandish their tambourines made of tansan (bottle caps). It is also the perfect time for them to visit your house to croak their angelic voices for some coins.
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Improvised tambourine. (Source: Think!)

Karoling is Christmas tradition in the Philippines. Karoling is the Filipinized rendition of the word caroling. Karoling is not just being done by the children as there are adult carolers who use real musical instruments like guitar, tambourines, etc. Children carolers are much simpler because their musical instruments are tambourines made from bottle caps and tin cans that serve as drums.
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(Source: Life's Memoirs Online)

People have many reactions when it comes to karoling. Majority of these reactions, I believe, is that of annoyance. This kind of reaction is understandable because these kids has the habit of returning to your house night after night until Christmas Eve if they discovered that you are generous in handing out coins.

So, how should you deal with these children? Here are the things that you can do when they are karoling at your house:

1. Hide and Ignore – This is highly recommended for ninongs and ninangs who have the habit of hiding from their inaanaks (godchildren) every Christmas. You should always keep in mind that carolers are attracted to Christmas lights like the way moths are attracted to the flame. Don’t decorate your house with Christmas lights to avoid being noticed by these kids.  If you’re uncharitable enough to not want carolers to visit your house, I suggest that you turn off all the lights inside and outside of your house and pretend that you are asleep.

2. Give them Coins or Scold them – Another way to deal with carolers is to follow a sort of “merit system.” You give the carolers a reward (a.k.a. coins) if they sang their Christmas carol well. Avoid giving them any coin if they continue croaking like frogs instead of singing. This is a good way motivating carolers to improve their karoling. Bad-singing carolers will avoid your house because they think that you demand so much just for a few coins.

3. Give them treats – Give the carolers candies or food if you don't want to give them money. This alternative is similar to the Halloween “trick or treat.” If you don't like their karoling then you trick 'em but I guess that is not in accord with the Christmas spirit.

4. Let the dogs out – Do this if you idolize old Scrooge but be prepared to be hacked with jungle bolo of the children's angry fathers.

There was a time when karoling is taken seriously. That was the time when kids put an effort to sing well. Nowadays, the children carolers don't care if their singing is out of tune or no one understands what they are saying. This is the reason why many people think that karoling is annoying.
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(Photo by Rowell Ang)

I also noticed that these children took karoling to the streets. They climb jeepneys and buses to ask for coins after they sang their Christmas carol. What they are doing is very dangerous. I will not be surprised if there will be a road accident that involves them.

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Christmas Shopping at Divisoria

The only thing that I can never forget in my first visit to Divisoria is the stench. Recto Avenue, within the Divisoria, is one of the smelliest areas that I ever visited in my whole life. I believe that the smell emanates from the decades-long accumulation of odor that was never removed because Recto Avenue never got the chance to be cleaned by street sweepers of Manila. But don’t let the stench of Divisoria turn you off because this is still the best place to go to for affordable Christmas items.

I recently visited Divisoria to look items that I can buy for my godchildren. Fortunately, it was not my first time to visit Divisoria so I know what to experience in that place. An American visitor of our office commented that Divisoria is worse than the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. He had a hard time navigating Divisoria because the streets are too crowded. He had no choice but to give up his comfort zone and walk side by side with buyers and vendors in Divisoria.

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Vendors hogging the streets of Divisoria.

My first stop is Divisoria Mall, which is located at the corner of Commercio and Tabora Streets. The mall is just an oversized Raon or the common palengke. The corridors are too crowded and some of the vendors placed their merchandise outside their booths. It is in this mall where I discovered that Divisoria is the place where tons of the cheap toys from China are delivered. The toys will then be bought and brought by retailers to different markets all around the Philippines. Now I know where to go if I want to buy toys for my godchildren.

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The next mall that I visited is the 168 Mall, which is the most popular mall in Divisoria. This mall is less crowded that Divisoria Mall. Near this mall are the 999 Mall and other malls that are named after lucky numbers. I went to 168 Mall to look for an affordable DVD player with TV.

Divisoria is one chaotic place. I always get lost whenever I visit the place. One time, I reached Andres Bonifacio’s monument in Tutuban while I was looking for a way out of Divisoria. This time, I reached Ongpin Street while I was looking for a way out of Divisoria. Well, getting lost is the reward for those people, like me, who doesn’t ask for directions.

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Scant Christmas Decorations in Shopping Malls

Christmas is definitely in the air. Santa Claus is already present in many TV commercials. The streets are being lightened up by Christmas lights and lanterns. Christmas carols are blaring in the local FM radios. Christmas bazaars are everywhere. And, of course, shopping malls are all decorated for the Christmas Season. However, it seems like the shopping malls are still feeling the brunt of the economic recession. Gone are the pomp Christmas decorations of the previous years. Christmas decorations are now simple as I had seen during my visit to some of the shopping malls in Metro Manila and the nearby cities.

The best Christmas decorations I have seen so far is the one in Ayala Trinoma Mall:

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Snowflake parols in Trinoma Mall.

Here are the decorations from other two shopping malls that I have visited recently:

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Lights and garlands in 168 Mall, Divisoria.

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Toy train at SM Santa Rosa, Laguna.

The worst Christmas decoration that I have seen, so far, is the one in Robinson's Target Mall:

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Christmas lights in Robinsons Target Mall, Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Robinson's Target Mall only have Christmas lights dangling from the ceiling as the decoration for the Christmas Season. Is it because Target Mall is just a low-end mall that's why it doesn't have creative decorations?

The shopping malls that I visited are too few. So, the ones that I posted here may not be the best (or the worst) Christmas decorations that can be seen in the shopping malls around Metro Manila and the nearby provinces.

Christmas is really in the air but it is not the decorations that counts. What counts is our willingness to open our hearts and welcome the coming of our Lord. Advance Merry Christmas everyone.

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Finally! It is the month of December. In anticipation of the coming Christmas and New Year, I will feature blog posts that are suitable for this holy season of love and gift-giving. A merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

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December 25 is not Christmas

During the Christmas Season of the past years, I have always lamented the same things about Christmas. It seems that I will repeat the same lamentations for this year’s Christmas Season.

I feel infuriated every time that the Christmas Season draws near. I feel infuriated not because I hate Christmas, which is actually is one of my favorite holidays, like the Grinch. I feel infuriated simply because the current celebration of Christmas is devoid of its true meaning. What people are actually celebrating is the un-Christmas Season.

Un-Christmas Season is the season when people claims to celebrate Christmas but are actually more focused on superficial things and not on the true Celebrant of Christmas.

The symbol of the un-Christmas Season is everywhere. Leading of all the un-Christmas Season is the old jolly big-bellied man named Santa Claus. Actually, the true Santa Claus is not that red garbed guy with a white beard. Big businesses degraded the image of Santa Claus and transformed him as an idol of everything that is materialistic in Christmas.

Yes, Santa Claus is the giver of gifts, but the gifts he gives are material things like toys, gadgets, and other things that could be bought at the department stores. Instead of promoting the true essence of gift-giving, this image of Santa Claus promotes the atmosphere to buy buy buy material things so that they could be like the generous Santa Claus for their “inaanaks” (godchildren), friends, and loved ones.

The people now tend to focus more on the gifts than the essence of giving and receiving gifts. Yes, because of materialism, people have the tendency to value gifts based on their monetary value. Thus, we hear some inaanaks who hates the gift of their ninong (godfather) and ninang (godmother) because it is not expensive and we hear of ninongs and ninang who hides from their inaanaks because they have no material gifts to offer. 

The True Christmas

Behind the veil of the materialistic brouhaha lies the true Christmas. Materialistic eyes will never see this true Christmas. The proud heart will never appreciate the humble meaning of Christmas.

Yes there is a true essence of Christmas. The true essence of Christmas lies on the manger and pours out from that tiny babe. It resides in every heart of the humble and meek. It shows itself to those who shun the materialistic demands of the world.

The three wise men recognized the Eternal King and went to Him to give him material gifts. But their gifts were outshone by the wisdom they receive from the holy infant. This is the wisdom that made them glorify the King and believe in Him.

The shepherds, amazed by the joyous celebration of the heavenly hosts, visited the baby and received the gift of happiness to their hearts for they knew that King and Savior had come to redeem His loved ones.

Oh, how great our gifts will be if we also come to Him and celebrate His coming to this world. His gift is way beyond the material things. His gift is His great outpouring of Love, of Mercy, and Eternal Life to those who humbly receive Him into their hearts.

Jesus is the true center of Christmas. He is the reason why we are celebrating Christmas.

Material things can make us happy for the briefest moment but in the end, those things will leave us empty and wanting. But accepting Christ as a gift into our hearts will fill us up with joy and peace that will last eternally.

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