We Filipinos around the globe, we celebrate the yuletide season starting September to December and for us, it is known as the Ber Months until the 4th week of January. It is celebrated for almost 19 - 20 weeks (almost 5 months)
Mostly for us, who is a student or an employee, December is one of the best months where we can have a short break for our stressful school days or stressful works and it depends on us if we want to have a vacation on the best tourist spot on our country where we can relax or have a vacation on other countries or just stay on our home and have a quality time with family.
If you want to see or have a vacation during this yuletide season these are the places that you must visit:
1. Giant Lantern Festival
Photo credits: Rappler
It is the annual festival or competition of the giant lanterns every December and the city was nicknamed as the Christmas Capital of the Philippines.
The locals called it Ligligan Parul was said that it was started in San Fernando in 1904, but there are some people who live in Pampanga that Ligligan Parul did not happen immediately after the transfer and to be exact it was started in 1908. So if we count the years of this kind of celebration every yuletide season, the giant lantern festival annually celebrated for almost 110 years this years.
2. Christmas Symbols Capital of Mindanao: Tangub City
Photo credits: Cebuano explorer
Tangub City was nicknamed as the “Christmas Symbols Capital of Mindanao”, because the locals prepare a lot of Christmas decorations or lanterns that can be found on their houses, their barangay hall, their highways and especially on their plaza that there are a lot of Christmas decorations can be seen because of their annual competition every December that is now 26 years of competition.
They have different themes every year that sometimes they made a top tourist destination around the world, and if you are in a low budget to travel to other countries you can just visit Tangub City but it will depend on their yearly theme. There were times that they created a nice Christmas decorations that is recycled, reuse or mostly that is indigenous that even if they made a grand Christmas decorations for the celebration of the yuletide season or for tourist spot still they made is sometimes as eco-friendly theme.
Video credit: Kyle Jennermann via Youtube
Other worth visiting destinations in Tangub City are:
Photo credits: The viewing deck
- Memorial Hill
3. Benelismo sa Tarlac
Photo credit: Positively Filipino
Belenismo or the art of making a belen can be found in Tarlac that is known for “Belen-making capital of the Philippines.” They made different figures, designs or sizes of the Belen that is made naturally by the Tarlacqueños for the competition that is started in the year 2007. The benelismo can be seen alongside the roadways.
Last year, the Tarlacqueños pay tributes to our brother and sisters in Marawi who lost their lives, their loved ones, especially to our heroes who fought and sacrificed their lives to retrieve the land and for the freedom.
4. Mall of Asia Grand Festival of Lights
Photo credit: Lush angel
SM Mall of Asia (SM MOA) is located at Pasay City in the Philippines, MOA showcase a world-class Winter Christmas destination for everyone. Every Saturday starting November 24, 2018, until December 22, 2018, 5:30 PM at North and South arcades of SM Mall of Asia will let the visitors especially their customers have the special treat and let them experience the magical moments Grand Festival of Lights together with their family and friends. And if ever you missed the chance during the schedule you still have the last chance because their final show will be on the Christmas day.
They actually made this for almost 10 years already and also, after the Grand Festival of Lights which has 6 to 8 kinds of floats and a lot of mascots that will definitely enjoy the viewers especially the kids they will also have their firework display at 7:00 PM still on SM Mall of Asia.
Photo credit: Lush Angel
Video Credits: ED nything via Youtube
5. Snow World Star City
Photo credit: gma network
We Filipinos have always dreamed to experience a wintery season every Christmas or experience the White Christmas but since we lived in a tropical country so we can't experience that kind of Christmas. Some of our fellow countrymen will visit countries that are very cold or has that kind of White Christmas but most of us can't afford to go to foreign countries to experience White Christmas but as of now say no more because we can experience a not so white Christmas here on the Philippines because the country gas this Snow World in Star City.
Star City is one of the famous amusement parks in Pasay City, Philippines. This amusement park will make your visit be enjoyable or thrilling and also there are games, entertainment and dining experience for the whole family that is visiting the amusement park.
The Star City was partnered with the Winter Wonderland of Indonesia to bring a cold and nice playground here in the Philippines and they made a longer and bigger slide that is 68 meters long and this slide is not good or advisable for kids that are below 18+ because they might out balance and might cause an accident. The entire place was -15 degrees Celcius and water turn into the snow with this temperature.
Photo credit: our awesome planet
6. Trails to Antarctica in Manila Ocean Park
Photo credit: Alice Pasoquin
Manila Ocean Park is the first penguin park in the Philippines and that is the Trails to Antartica: The Penguin Quest that will make you experience a cold place here in the Philippines that is a tropical country same as the Snow World of Star City and see these cute penguins swimming on the cold water. It would be amazing for the kids to visit this park because they will know a little for the penguins. And also the park let you feed the penguins but don't worry it is safe.
7. SM Skating Rink
Photo credit: Rodel Flordeliz
If you want to enjoy and have fun while playing with a few or a lot of people then you must visit the SM that showcase the skating rink which is the: SM Seaside Cebu, SM Southmall, SM Mall of Asia and SM Megamall. These malls have a promo in this yuletide season for those who want to skate.
Happy Christmas Everyone!
-------------------------
At your service!
Up Next: Part 2!
