PHILIPPINES: Christmas lanterns everywhere
By Dennis Amata, Information & Communications Manager, CARE Philippines
Christmas is one of the holidays Filipinos are most looking forward to. Since the majority of Filipinos are Roman Catholic, it is an extremely important and revered holiday for us. It is the time when we go back to our respective provinces, celebrate with loved ones with good food and catch up with old friends. I usually spend Christmas in my province of Pampanga, which is known in the country as the Christmas lantern capital and people prepare food for the entire community. I spend Christmas with my family in our home, prepare food and exchange gifts with each other.
Filipinos are fond of colors and everything bright during Christmas. One typical tradition that we have been doing for a long time is the preparation of various “parols” – our own version of Christmas lanterns. It is a traditional symbol of Christmas spirit in the Philippines. These parols hang in front of every home or any other visible spot. Even young students are sometimes required to make their own parols as a school project.
Christmas is also very important for our program participants. In the Philippines, Christmas formally begins on December 16 with attendance at the first of nine pre-dawn or early morning masses –called “Simbang Gabi” – at any church and continues until the first Sunday of January. Every barangay (local term for village) has a community chapel or nearby church and people from all walks of life usually complete these masses before and after Christmas. According to the participants of CARE’s Haiyan Livelihoods Recovery Assistance Program in Iloilo, they will try their best to attend all the masses. We have a belief that if you are able to complete all these masses, your wish will be granted by our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Christmas is really special for my family. It is the only time that I am able to cook really delicious food for my children so I ensure to save a little money for Christmas eve dinner", says Daisy Albao, CARE Haiyan program participant in Iloilo, who received support through CARE’s Community Enterprise Fund program.
Find out more about our work in the Philippines.
SOUTH SUDAN: A day of peace and unity
By Ating Benson Charles, Communication Officer, CARE South Sudan.
Christmas Day is one of the most festive Christian holidays in many countries around the world. In many South Sudanese communities people consider December 25 as a joyous day of peace and unity marked by family gatherings, exchanging presents and sharing meals. In South Sudan, which is comprised of over 67 tribes, each tribe is known for celebrating Christmas a unique way based on their different cultural way of life.
Acholi traditional dancers practice for Christmas day. Photo: CARE/Ating Benson Charles
When the violent conflict spilled into the formerly rather peaceful province of Eastern Equatoria in June this year, I wondered if Christmas has become a concern for people as they would not know how to afford their necessities for the celebration. When I spoke to a cultural chief from one of the ethnic Acholi tribe in Eastern Equatoria State he told me: “We love celebrating Christmas day. It brings us joy and creates unity among our people. It’s an amazing day when we all come together and practice our traditional dance, enjoy our traditional foods and dresses. It is a sign of peace for our community”.
Among the Acholi tribe from Eastern Equatoria, December 25 is the day when young people sit together and receive a formal education fromheir elders. They learn about their way of life, traditional marriage, dresses, traditional kings, foods and dances. It is beyond tragic that they grow up in a country that has been experiencing a severe conflict for three years now where thousands of men, women and children have lost their lives and almost three million people were forced to leave their homes, many barely surviving with very little food.
The Dinka are another South Sudanese ethnic tribe using unique dresses for their Christmas celebration. One of the elders told me that they have kept traditional dresses, food and local drinks for their Christmas celebration and they want to show the public their Christmas celebration as sign of peace and unity among them. He added that they are affected by the conflict and that many people cannot afford to buy materials for their Christmas festivals.
The CARE South Sudan staff also come together each year to start the Christmas season. All staff based in the capital Juba met to recognize the year’s achievements and contributions, wishing each other merry Christmas and a happy New Year. We recognize that despite the risk for humanitarian workers in the country we have been able to assist more than 300,000 people across four states since the start of the conflict. It is a tremendous achievement that inspires us to work even harder next year to help the people of South Sudan.
Find out more about our work in South Sudan here.
SERBIA: The sparks may bring prosperity
By Gordana Vučinić, Project Coordinator, CARE International Balkans, Office in Serbia
Our orthodox Christmas celebration starts a day before the actual Christmas day, on January 6th. Early in the morning around five or six o’clock people - mainly men - are going to the forest to cut a Christmas tree, which is an oak tree with dry leafs. We also buy a small bouquet of oak twigs as well as straw and young green wheat in pots. The wheat and oak symbolically represent the tree that the shepherds brought. It is placed on the table which is decorated with candies and nuts, while the wheat under the table symbolizes the crib where Jesus was born.
Gordana's traditional Christmas bread. Photo: CARE
During that day my family and all friends fast while we prepare a lot of food for the following Christmas day. In the evening everybody goes to church and each family brings the oak twigs from last year which they kept in the house. In front of the church is a big fire where everybody gathers around and burns their old oak twigs, drinking wine and saying: “the sparks may bring many coins and prosperity”.
My kids go into the church where they throw plenty of candies at each other, competing with other children who will collect the most. After the church ceremony, my family and friends come together and we prepare roasted pork, play music, drink and stay up very late.
In the morning of Christmas day, on January 7th, together with my 13-year old daughter I bake a Christmas bread in which I hide a coin and which I decorate with flowers, books, birds, a cross – all the symbols symbolizing peace, prosperity, love and progress. This day is more of a family day with plenty of food on the table, mainly salads and meat. During lunch all family members break the bread aiming to be the one who gets the hidden coin.
Find out more about our work in Serbia here.