(The sound of Philippine Christmas)

By: Berna Agsalon

In my country, Christmas comes as early as September when what we call the “-ber weather” starts to set in. It starts getting colder in the early morning. So as we get closer to December, you can feel cooler winds at different times of the day even during warm weather.

Companies start to shop around and order their Christmas giveaways. Most of the malls and department stores hold their major “sale events” during the months of September and October because a lot of Filipinos start shopping for their Christmas gifts. Television networks keep a constant reminder that Christmas is approaching by doing a “100 days” countdown.

However, I think the most obvious indication of the coming Christmas season is something that can be heard rather than seen. When we start hearing Christmas carols playing in almost every radio station, then you know that Christmas is indeed just around the corner.

Filipinos are very musical. From our most rural communities to the middle of the most modern city, the love for anything musical is a common trait among my countrymen. At Christmas, this love for music reaches a new level. We listen and sing songs more often than any other holiday, and we love to sing our own set of Christmas carols.

From singing the very simple “Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit” (Christmas Is Coming), to the more sentimental “Pasko Na Sinta Ko” (It’s Christmas, My Beloved), to the favorite chorale piece “Kumukutikutitap” (Twinkle, Twinkle), and of course, to the very inspirational “Payapang Daigdig” (Peaceful World), we express our love for this special season through music.

Our “Himig Pasko” (Christmas Music) embodies the spirit of what a Filipino Christmas is. It is a Christmas tradition that merges the 300 years of Spanish Christian colonization with the very Western concept of Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and Christmas decorations.