Filipino Christmas party features festive lanterns
By Joan Janzen
The Kindersley Filipino-Canadian Community (KFCC) held their annual Christmas party on Saturday, December 6th, at the Elks Hall. This year, the KFCC extended an invitation for all party attendees to participate in a Sparkling Parol-making contest.
For Canadians who aren’t familiar with the term parol, it’s a traditional Filipino Christmas star-shaped lantern, symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem that guided the three kings. It also represents hope, light and community spirit. Parols are displayed in homes, streets and churches as part of Filipino culture, serving as a reminder that even in the darkest nights, light and joy will continue to shine.
L-R: Leezha and Leianna with a handcrafted Filipino lantern. Entries for the Sparkling Parol (lantern) contest were dropped off at the Elks Hall Saturday afternoon before the Kindersley Filipino-Canadian Community’s Christmas party began later that evening. PHOTO BY JOAN JANZEN
This year’s entries were dropped off at the Elks Hall before the festivities began, with prizes awarded for the best efforts. The festive lanterns are just one of many popular Filipino Christmas traditions. At this year’s party, every family was encouraged to choose a specific colour for their party attire.
The Philippines is the only country in the world that celebrates Christmas for a four-month period; however, the KFCC has tailored their holiday celebrations to accommodate Hallowe’en and Remembrance Day.
“We usually don’t light up our Christmas tree until November 12th,” Kindersley resident Jen Malana said. “But Christmas back home is a big deal! It’s a long four months of Christmas music!”
Christmas music also includes caroling, as children go from house to house singing Christmas songs and banging on drums and tambourines. In return, the residents give the children coins for their efforts.
Food is also an important part of the celebrations. “They serve food outside the church every night,” Jen explained. Some of their unique dishes include a sweet made from rice flour, coconut milk and water cooked in a cast-iron pan. You may see purple baked goods, which acquire their flavour and colour from the purple yam. Meat consists of a whole roasted pig and a dish similar to meat loaf.
Monito-Monito is a popular tradition where people exchange gifts at work or school. Participants pick names and exchange anonymous gifts. For some workplaces, this continues for a week to ten days. Each day the gift would be different; for example, something red one day and something sweet the next day.
This year’s KFCC Christmas party combined games, prizes, lanterns, music, food and plenty of fun and laughter. It was a perfect recipe for a great Christmas party!