Friday, September 6, 2013

Maligayang Pasko!

Merry Christmas, or as they say in Tagalog....Maligayang Pasko!  Christmas celebrations in the Philippines start September 1st. Last Sunday, we were wished a Merry Christmas. Several branches sang Christmas hymns in their church meetings. On preparation day this week, President Monahan and I listened to Christmas music as we did our grocery shopping.  The Christmas lights have started going up this week, also.  Last year at this time, I have to say the Christmas celebrations in September caught me off guard.  I know we are supposed to keep the "spirit of Christmas" in our hearts all year long, but I had never been accustomed to singing or listening to Christmas music in September. It is a wonderful Filipino tradition to focus on the birth of Christ from September through January (actually, through February if you count all the Christmas lights still hanging along the streets). Now, a year later, what joy I will have in singing Christmas hymns during the next four months!

Not all Christmas displays show Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus in the manger. This display was at a hotel.  Maybe they were dreaming of a white Christmas.

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