Akbayan: Embracing in Friendship

The Christmas Lantern of the Philippines

The holiday season comes around only once a year. Each culture partakes in its own unique tradition during this time. Some families put up Christmas trees, while others are lighting their Menorahs. Both of these practices, as well as many others, have a significant meaning that is specific to specific ethnic groups.

In the same way that the Christmas tree and the Menorah are culture specific, the Filipino Christmas includes a wide array of beautiful Christmas decorations and symbols. Christmas lights illuminate the streets, and other decorations drape every house on the block. One of the most well-known Filipino Christmas decorations is the Parol.

The Parol is an ornamental seasonal decoration that represents the star of Bethlehem that guided the Magi to baby Jesus. Its origin dates back to 1928, where an artisan named Francisco Estanislao crafted a star-shaped paper lantern made of bamboo strips and lit by a candle.

It was adapted by barrio peoples to light their dark paths during their procession to church for the Miso de Gallo, which is a ritual Midnight Mass that is celebrated on Christmas Eve. Although Filipinos also use Christmas trees, the analogy is often set forth that the Parol is to Filipino Christmas tradition as the Christmas tree is to Western Christmas tradition.

Parols today are constructed using various materials such as feathers, beads, cellophane, tissue paper, seeds, shells, and much more. It has evolved and become more decorative than the original bamboo stick and paper design. They come in different sizes and designs as well, ranging from small tinsel and foil lanterns to gigantic and elegantly decorated ones.

Communities all over the Philippines have their own variations of the traditional Parol, and some even hold competitions to see who can make the most decorative one. In San Fernando, Pampanga, there is a festival that revolves around the lighting and showcasing of gigantic Parols that can reach up to 40 feet in width.

In the Philippines, the Parol has become an iconic symbol in the Filipino culture as a part of the Christmas tradition. From the procession to the Miso de Gallo on Christmas Eve to the brightening of the streets of small towns, the Parol is a staple in the Filipino Christmas tradition. The appearance of the Parol in the Philippines indicates the beginning of the season, and it is associated with many of the largest Filipino Christmas events.

If you are interested in learning more about the Parol and actually making your own, attend our Parol workshop on November, 22 in BBC021 at 4:30PM. Come and take part in this heart-warming Filipino tradition!