Christmas in the Philippines

Christmas in the Philippines (Filipino: Pasko sa Pilipinas), one of two predominantly Christian countries in Asia (the other one being East Timor), is one of the biggest holidays in the archipelago. The country celebrates the world's longest Christmas season, with Christmas carols heard as early as September and lasting variously until either Epiphany, the Feast of the Black Nazarene on 9 January, or the Feast of the Santo Niño on the third Sunday of January. The official observance by the Catholic Church in the Philippines is from the beginning of the Simbang Gabi on 16 December until the Feast of the Epiphany on the first Sunday of the year.

The various ethnic groups in the Philippines each observe different Christmas traditions, and the following are generally common.

In urban areas like Metro Manila, many offices organise Christmas parties. These are usually held during the second week of December, or right before schools and universities go on holiday. Common activities include Monito/Monita (Kris Kringle), musical or theatrical performances and parlor games. Food is provided either through potluck, or via a pool of contributions to buy food. Some have fireworks displays.

Simbang Gabi ("Night Mass"; Spanish: Misa de Gallo, "Rooster's Mass", or Misa de Aguinaldo, "Gift Mass") is a novena of dawn Masses from December 16-24 (Christmas Eve). The Simbang Gabi is practised mainly by Catholic and Aglipayans, with some Evangelical Christian and independent Protestant churches having adopted the practise of having pre-Christmas dawn services. Attending the Masses is meant to show devotion to God and heightened anticipation for Christ's birth, and folk belief holds that God grants the special wish of a devotee that hears all nine Masses.

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