Jingle BER, Jingle BER, Jingle BER Rock!

Today marks the first day of what we call "ber" months. Streets start to get filled with different sounds and music about Christmas season. It is the start of Christmas season!

Here's what happens in the Philippines during ber months:

1. Christmas songs here and everywhere

Malls starts to play Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You". Radio stations get to receive requests to play Jose Mari Chan's hits like "Christmas In Our Hearts". And me, ready to play my playlist that includes Sana Ngayong Pasko.

2. Places are decorated

Parks, public offices, work places, and even our own home are ornamented with Christmas lights and decors. If I'm home I can be seen now checking for working Christmas lights that was used last year for reuse this year.

3. Shopping malls become crowded

People starts to shop this month of September while most items are still cheaper. It is still fresh to me when I was a kid, my godfather gave me a gift on Christmas day, I was excited to open it and saw the price tag that has an X mark on P199.00 and number 99.00 on top of it. I didn't mind, I have a gift and that's what I should be thankful of.

4. Thank You for the Love 

Thank You For The Love was ABS-CBN's Christmas Station ID last year. Every year, the said network is very successful in letting people enjoy and making them feel the Christmas season through their yearly station ids.

5. Metro Manila Film Festival

This is an annual film that runs from December 25 through New Years Day and into first week of January which focuses on Filipino films. One of the festival highlights is the parade of floats at the opening of the festival that represents a movie entry with their respective stars. Everytime a friend of mine curses he uses a line from Beauty and Bestie: "Kru Kru Animel".

6. Christmas caroling

Caroling is a part of the Filipino Christmas tradition. Carolers starts to move from house to house after dinner to spread the spirit of the season through songs. Not only children go on caroling but sometimes we see church organization, clubs or even group of friends who raise funds through their yearly caroling. Just last year, during this season, the time I saw collection of bottle caps at home I knew what it is for - it will be used to make handmade musical instrument for caroling. I then volunteered to make them.

7. Nine mornings

Starting December 16 until December 24, people are willing to wake up early dawn to hear a mass. It is said to grant your wish if you complete all nine mornings so even those who are not very religious become avid churchgoers come Christmas time. Last 2004, I failed to hear the 7th dawn mass because I went to an outing with my friends which we celebrated the last Christmas of our high school years, but I still completed the last 2 days of Simbang Gabi.

Those were just 7 of the many reasons why you should celebrate Christmas with the Pinoys.

May it be "Maligayang Pasko", "Malipayon nga Pascua", "Maugmang Pasko", "Maabig ya Pasko", "Maupay nga Pasko", "Malipayong Pasko" or "Merry Christmas", it is indeed fun to celebrate Christmas in the Philippines.

Choose Celebration. Choose Philippines.