Category: tradition

WEDDING

A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of wedding vows by the couple, presentation of a gift (offering, ring(s), symbolic item, flowers, money), and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure or leader. Special wedding garments are often worn, and the ceremony is sometimes followed by a wedding reception. Music, poetry, prayers or readings from religious texts or literature are also commonly incorporated into the ceremony based on the wikipedia.

On January 14, 2012, we were attending the Wedding of my cousin in San Juan Batangas. They have simple and stunning decorations inside the church with different flowers together with the red anthurium flower that attract the wedding arc design. My hubby, Vince and I were just taking a picture as souvenirs.

This entry for R uby Tuesday 2.

Ruby Tuesday 2

CHRISTMAS CAROLING

Christmas Caroling is a part of the Filipino Christmas tradition. It does celebrate yearly when Simbang gabi start or misa de gallo. Carolers will be on their feet singing Christmas carols from house to house spreading the spirit of the season through songs. Children and adults like to form groups and enjoy hopping from one house to another every night singing Jingle Bells, Silent Night and any Filipino Traditional Christmas song. They start caroling here in our Village at 7:30 in the evening. Its start to sing the song, Sa May Bahay Ng Aming Bati, they continue to sing Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit, Pasko Na Naman, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, Silent Night. They also bring the caroling handmade instrument like tambourine made the bottle tops and drum made out of tin can. I really enjoy listening their song and I feel the spirit and cheerfulness of Christmas. And after that I give the money, they sing “Thank you, thank you, ang babait ninyo …thank you….” or the one song Thank you very much thank you very much for your give we will pray for you, we will pray for you, thank you very much merry Christmas.

I think there are almost 4 group’s carolers went in my house. Sometimes other houses their caroling is not give them. They feel sad, when they said Tawad. tawad or pass is a Filipino word if they did not give the coins/money to the group of carolers. I did not ask like that because the caroling is once a year only. Because I feel happy to give for someone in need.

SIMBANG GABI

Tomorrow is the start of simbang gabi or misa de gallo. It is a Spanish phrase for midnight mass or literally means as mass of the roaster. I will prepare myself to wake up early in the morning. Traditionally it starts on December 16 to 24, this is a celebration of mass done early in the morning in preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ. There are many church near our house but I feel comfortable attending Simbang gabi or misa de gallo at St. Michael Archangel in Tayabas, Quezon. It’s almost 30 minutes from Pagbilao, Quezon from our home going to Church in Tayabas, Quezon. I don’t know why maybe because here is the place where I was born.

Anyway about this Church, Basilica of St. Michael Archangel in Tayabas, Quezon is one of the old and biggest churches in the country. Filipinos normally attend to this tradition and more of them complete the daily routine until they finish the Simbang gabi or misa de gallo until 24th day of December. Most of the Filipino also believes that the wishes will be granted or will come true if they completed attending the misa de gallo.

You can see food stalls near the church that sell different kinds of native foods like bibingka, puto bumbong, sapin-sapin, suman and etc. Simbang gabi also brings me the same feelings of joy, happiness, excitement, and hope.

CHRISTMAS BELEN

My hubby, Vince and I were going to Pacific Mall at 7:00 o’ clock in the evening to buy the gifts of my mother because she was celebrating her birthday tomorrow. I was taking the picture of the Christmas Decoration of Lucena City Hall along the highway going to Pacific Mall. I was attracted the wonderful Christmas Belen in front of the Lucena City Hall. This is very attractive and the lightning Christmas light. This is the one beautiful Christmas decoration that I spot in Lucena City. Vince and I were really enjoyed to look the wonderful decorations, and then I was taken the picture.

Christmas Belen is the one traditional Filipino Christmas symbols herein the Philippines. It refers the scene representing the actual birth site of Jesus Christ. It has become an integral part of Christmas celebration. I remember when I was a child I make my own Belen decorations inside my house. It’s made of art paper, cotton, Japanese paper or papel de hapon and thread for my simple Belen decorations. I really feel the spirit and happiness of Christmas.

For now, I can’t feel the spirit of Christmas because of the crises facing in our country today. But in the Philippines crisis or no crisis, the spirit of Christmas is already in the air even if it’s just in the month of October. The countdown of days till Christmas is already running, many people are already buying gifts, decorating their homes with Christmas decorations like Christmas Belen, Christmas tree, etc. and busy for preparing this coming Christmas.