HAPPY "BER" MONTHS !
September is the first month of the so called “BER” Months… SeptemBER, OctoBER, NovemBER and DecemBER. I love “BER” Months since there is something special about it. Well, it is special because it is the start of the Christmas Countdown !
For Filipinos, when they hear the “BER” Months starting with the month of September, it is already “Paskong Pinoy” (Christmas in the Philippines). It is a distinctive/unique Pinoy phenomenon. Pinoys have a way of enjoying life… being alive despite the many tough challenges in life. We live a simple life and happy with what we possess. We have a SMILE in our hearts. There is happiness in every simple things we do and it’s a blessing. Back-up with family solidarity and perseverance is what makes Pinoy beats the test of times.
In other parts of the world, the Christmas spirit is felt a week before the actual Christmas day. But in the Philippines as early as September, Pinoys are in the festive mood already. You can hear Christmas holiday tunes being played on the radio, television and in public places. The malls are starting to sell colorful Christmas decorations. People are so excited that Christmas Shopping officially begins at popular bargain places like Baclaran and Divisoria. I am starting to see Philippine delicacies like “Puto Bumbong” (Purple colored steamed glutinous rice cooked in bamboo tubes) and Bibingka (Rice Cake) being sold in the street. You can see a lot of Pinoy selling these Christmas traditional delicacies outside the church from night till dawn during the “Misa De Gallo or Simbang Gabi” (Midnight Mass).
"Puto Bumbong"
Bibingka
Recently, when I went home from work, I noticed that some of our neighbors in our village already installed their Christmas decorations around their houses. No wonder why Filipinos are known for having the longest Christmas season in the world.
