Filipino Christmas traditions make their way to Western Pennsylvania

Guests enjoy Filipino delicacies and good cheer at a 2019 Christmas party at St. Bruno Parish Hall in Greensburg.

Filipino Christmas traditions make their way to Western Pennsylvania

BY JORDAN WHITEKO

MULTIMEDIA CONTENT MANAGER

Father Ronald L. Maquiñana’s favorite Filipino Christmas traditions — including Christmas Masses, decorations, caroling and native dishes — have many parallels to cultural traditions here in Western Pennsylvania.

Simbang Gabi is a series of nine Masses that lead up to Christmas Eve, when Midnight Mass, or Misa de Gallo, is celebrated. In the Catholic Filipino community, attending these Masses is considered to be preparation for celebrating Christmas. Father Maquiñana says if Filipinos attend all nine Masses, they believe their prayers will be answered.

The Paról is a traditional Filipino Christmas lantern decoration made of bamboo and paper. This tradition began in the early 1900s. Paróls lined the roads, giving light to guide those who had to travel before first light to attend Simbang Gabi. The tradition has evolved and now includes decorating houses, stores and churches. Father Maquiñana remembers the Christmas season being the longest celebration in the Philippines because decorating would start as early as September!

In the Philippines, just like in Western Pennsylvania, children go from house to house singing Christmas carols. People give out coins or food and candy as a way to show their appreciation to the children for coming to express their Christmas spirit.

Traditional Filipino putò bumbóng rice cakes.

Guests enjoying Filipino delicacies and good cheer at a 2019 Christmas party at St. Bruno Parish Hall in Greensburg.

Food is served at a Christmas celebration after Simbang Gabi and on Christmas Day. It is customary for anyone invited to bring something to eat, which means there is a lot of food. Two traditional native Filipino dishes vendors sell on the streets after Mass are putò bumbóng, a purple rice cake with dried coconut meat and brown sugar, and bibingka, an egg-based rice cake.

Maligayang Pasko!