Filipina Soul

To those who are probably wondering why I don’t update this blog on weekends: I’m a full time mother on weekends. So I try so hard not to get myself near any keyboard attached to a computer with an internet connection. :-)
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Anyway, I’ve started this series of Filipino Christmas Symbols that I intend to round-up before Christmas Eve. So, here’s part 2 before I get distracted once more:

Here in the Philippines we’ve been hearing Christmas songs over the radios since 1st of September. But at the first strike of December, Christmas Caroling starts. Usually by children (sometimes adults too if for a cause) carrying tin cans made into makeshift drums and tambourines while they try their best to sing along with the most common Christmas carol as they go from house to house every night until Christmas Day in exchange for a few cents. As I child I still remember the feeling of delight when my friends and I would split our “earnings” each night.

Christmas Caroling depicts Mary and Joseph’s search for a shelter that would take them for that one fateful night but with no luck, which led them to the manger where the expectant Mary eventually gave birth to baby Jesus.

Times are hard for most Filipinos. Most households are begging off each time the children start singing on their doorsteps at night. But I admire these children’s spirit of continuing on from house to house (like the Holy Family) until they find that door that will finally open up for that 1 or 5-peso coin.