New Year's Eve in the Philippines

New Year's Eve in the Philippines

Bisperas ng Bagong Taon ("New Year’s Eve") is a festive time in the Philippines. There are a lot of traditions that Filipinos follow in the belief of ushering in a prosperous New Year. Many of these customs you may recognize as showing a Chinese influence.

FILIPINO FOOD ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

Special food is prepared, but not like the Noche Buena feast on Christmas Eve, although some families might be wealthy enough to prepare another lechon (roasted pig) after serving one on Christmas. For sure, pancit (noodles) are cooked to signify long life, as are eggs signifying new life. Traditional delicacies made from malagkit (glutinous or sticky rice) like biko are prepared — that’s so good fortune will stick around throughout the year. Fish and chicken are not served because these animals scrounge for food, and we don’t want to have to scrounge for food in the coming year.

Part of the fun in getting ready for New Year's Eve is to come up with twelve (12) round fruits, each to signify a month of the year. Ideally, there should be twelve different fruits — grapes, oranges, clementines, cantaloupe, pomelo, watermelon… It’s a tough challenge, so half the fruits likely end up being non-circular like mangoes and apples. The fruit that Filipinos most associate with the celebration of the new year and will rarely be without is imported ubas, purple grapes that are very round.

THE NOISIEST TIME OF THE YEAR IN THE PHILIPPINES

The same way Americans enjoy Fourth of July fireworks, Filipinos go all out with the noise on New Year’s eve. Filipino paputok (firecrackers) come in so many shapes and go by very interesting names — judas belt (a string of firecrackers), super lolo (“grandfather”), kwitis (from the Spanish word cohetes meaning rocket), bawang (“garlic”), airwolf…

Children love scratching the dancing firecracker watusi against concrete sidewalks and cemented surfaces, although the government has been warning against it because of chemical poisoning.

Pots and pans are clanged to scare away evil spirits. A few men shoot guns in the air if they think they can get away with it. Cars and trucks are vroomed and horns are tooted to cause as much noise as possible. Empty cans are dragged all around, whistles are blown.

OTHER FILIPINO TRADITIONS ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

Before the clock strikes midnight to herald in the new year, all doors must be left wide open to allow good luck to enter. This includes cupboards, drawers, cabinets... windows!

Filipinos try to dress in polka-dots because the roundness signifies prosperity. Pockets are filled with round coins, which are jangled to attract wealth. Coins are also left on top of tables and in drawers.

At the exact moment of midnight, Filipino children jump as high as they can because they believe this will make them taller.

Whatever condition your wallet is in when the New Year arrives, so it will be the rest of the year. Make sure to put in the money your received on Christmas. The same goes for the neatness of your home.

Filipinos spend the last days of the year vigorously cleaning everything, especially of dust. However, on thefirst day of the new year, you are not supposed to do any cleaning. No cleaning on New Year’s Day itself!

And don’t start the year off by spending money. Frugality on the first day sets the tone for wise money management in the coming year.

Manigong Bagong Taon! Happy New Year!

The 12 Days of Christmas -=- Did you know?

The 12 Days of Christmas -=- Did you know?

 

 

 Some early traditions hold that this song was used as a teaching tool to instruct young people of various denominations in the Christian faith. Even without the symbolism, the song is a playful piece that loses none of its appeal when taken at face value.

1. A Partridge in a Pear Tree

The partridge in the pear tree is Jesus on the cross. The bird imagery can also be seen as symbolic of Christ’s teaching “as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings” (Luke 13:34)

2. Two turtle doves

The two turtle doves represent the Old Testament and the New Testament.

3. Three French Hens

The three French hens symbolize the three members of the Godfather: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Alternatively, they represent the three virtues; faith, hope, and charity (1 Corinthians 13:13)

4. Four Colly Birds

The four “colly” is an old word for “black” stand for the four Evangelist – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – or the four Gospels they wrote.

5. Five Golden Ring

The five gold rings correspond to the first five books of the Bible, sometimes referred to as the Pentateuch.

6. Six Geese A-Laying

The six geese a-laying refer to the six days of Creation (Genesis 1:31; Exodus 20:11)

7. Seven Swans A-Swimming

The seven swan a-swimming suggest the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:6-8), alternatively seven swans represent the seven sacraments recognized by some faith traditions.

8. Eight Maids A-Milking

The eight maids a-milking signify the eight Beatitudes from Christ’s Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-10).

9. Nine Ladies Dancing

The nine ladies dancing embody the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

10. Ten Lords A-Leaping

The ten lords a-leaping denote Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17).

11. Eleven Pipers piping

The eleven pipers piping are the eleven faithful Apostles (Luke 6:13-16; Acts 1:26).

12. Twelve Drummers Drumming

The twelve drummers drumming are the doctrines in the Apostles’ Creed (namely: 1. belief in the Father, 2. Belief in the Son, 3. the virgin birth, 4. the atonement, 5. his ministry after death, 6. his ascension to Heaven, 7. his role as judge, 8. belief in the Holy Ghost, 9. belief in the church, 10. forgiveness of sins, 11. the resurrection, 12. and eternal life.

 

Going Home to Pilipias to Visit. I am not Rich by our Filipino friend Jojie C from Kidapawan,Philippines

Going Home to Pilipias to Visit.  I am not Rich
by our Filipino friend Jojie C from Kidapawan,Philippines

What I find annoying is that people specially residing in Philippines, see us folks returning to Philippines for a visit as rich folks. They would always think that we have money! They would try and take advantage of us by jacking up the prices, or in case of friends and relatives, they will ask for some money. Or we will get a phone call or an email or text, asking for a sum of money because they need to buy this or that or need a big lump sum of money for some emergency and they will always than not say, it’s only this much. Er.. Only this much?

Traveling

Well in truth, we do have some money, when we are traveling. We saved up months or in our case—those like me with average income, years. We save a little bit each time we get paid over time so we have some spending money to spend in Philippines. It is not because we are rich, it’s because, we manage our money by saving it. So it seems that when we do get to Philippines, we have loads of money to spend!

Asking for money

The other part, that is common too, is this—and it often happens when you happen to be in Philippines, one of your relative will borrow some money. For whatever reasoning they need the money for, they will ask you whilst you are on holiday.

Think about this for a second. When we travel, our money is already allocated. Even though, we have not yet spent it, it is already geared for future travel expenses. Unless of course, you factor in these kind of requests in your travels to Philippines then I suppose you would be OK and not get caught. Most of us though, only caters for what we might be spending on. We really only have pocket money and other travel expenses with us. We do carry credit cards for emergencies and perhaps have some more money in our bank, in our savings account, which is our savings or other unmet expenses or other emergencies—but not for requests by relatives or being priced higher by vendors because they somehow smelt you have been overseas.

Currency differences

As I traveled in Philippines just six months ago, my new friends and I were talking about income and expenses and a taxi driver in Manila who could smell money from me, even though I was talking in Tagalog (the Philippine national language) and not at all boasting where I was from. Heck I didn’t’ even mention anything about overseas, until he asked me where in America was I from. The gist of the story was this, she and the others thought I was rich, after converting what I normally earn per financial year and converted to Philippine peso. When we converted my income, it ran into millions of pesos. Average yearly income for Filipino workers is about 120,000.00 pesos—based on 10k monthly earning. I know too, that people are getting paid far less than that. Learning that my income runs into millions of peso value, would be seen as a rich man right? I would think so too! But it all ends there though. As I explained, with the big currency conversion gap from American dollar to Philippine peso, the standards of living and costs of living in the USA is expensive. I further explained, what some of the costs that I incur whilst living in the USA and told them, that if they thought, the few millions I earned after converting to the Philippine currency is rich, I thought, to make them understand, I would also convert my basic expenses to peso and perhaps, they can understand it that way. Indeed it worked! The taxi driver—who by the way ripped me off anyway, by not giving me my change from my taxi fare—I gave him 500 pesos for about 300 pesos taxi fare. He said to me during this conversation that, we are in a way, in the same position, living pay check per pay check.

Educating the few

I have always known, this to be a fact. Whenever somebody arrives from overseas, Filipinos would think they are loaded with money. I have always tried to explain to them that it isn’t always the case! We are just average folks living in a different country and spending our money here because it’s cheaper in currency value and as such our money would last longer. I have also tried explaining in other ways, that they should not see us “balik bayans” as $$$$. But most of them failed. Until, I started explaining everything in peso value.

Though, I hope, I won’t have to have a conversations like these again next time I visit Philippines. I also know this would be a mere impossibility, because somebody will eventually ask. This time around though, at least, I can explain it in a more logical terms that an average Filipino worker can understand.

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