The Most Magical Time of the Year

By Jensen Sentillas
January 20, 2023.

MANILA — Aside from being the most wonderful time, the Christmas season is the most magical time of the year. Of all the holidays known to humanity, this is the only event that successfully brings people together regardless of color, gender, age, religion, nationality, and social class. All people, young and old, are given an equal chance to exploit this annual opportunity to bond together and create memories that will last a lifetime. Even with the presence of COVID-19, the spirit of Christmas is so powerful it can make the world forget that it is enduring a dangerous lung disease and riddled with different geopolitical, economic, and social issues with varying intensities. Indeed, Christmas is Earth's most extraordinary magic. It weaponized its most powerful "encanto" — hope. 

Jose Mari Chan is the most iconic Christmas symbol in the Philippines His popular song "Christmas in our Hearts" starts airing in Philippine radios on September 1. (Photo from Manila Times)

However, one cannot stand and ask: when did all of this unparalleled magic begin? The Christmas Season, or otherwise known as the Yuletide Season, began before its namesake (Jesus Christ) was even born. Centuries before Jesus was turned into flesh, early Europeans already had their earlier versions of Christmas. For the Norse, they celebrate Yule during the winter solstice, and they do this by gathering huge logs and setting them up on fire and feasting until all the logs turn into ash, which would usually last for 12 days. For the Romans, they celebrate Saturnalia at the same time as the Norse celebrates Yule. However, the duration is longer and it is celebrated livelier. Early church officials decided to institute the birth of Christ as a holiday and amalgamate pagan elements into it so that everybody would embrace Christmas. The church employed the winter solstice as the time of celebration and the 12 days as its duration. That said, it is now more apparent why there's such a song entitled "12 days of Christmas." It is because Christmastide/Yuletide is celebrated for only 12 days (December 25 - January 6 – Three Kings Day). 

(Photo from the Philippine Star - Edd Gumban)

In the Philippines, this is not the case. Everyone spends their time in preparing and celebrating the season starting September 1, making it the longest celebration of Christmas in the world. To make matters more interesting, the Philippine Government cultivated and nourished this tradition by enacting several Christmas laws like that of Executive Order No. 292 and its complementing Republic Act. No. 9492 to declare that Dec. 25 is a regular holiday. It has also enacted several other Christmas laws like the 13 Month Pay Law (Presidential Decree No. 851), RA No. 6686 (government officials' and employees' bonus), and RA No. 6 713 (an act prohibiting government officials and employees from giving and receiving gifts, except on Christmas Day). However it may seem, this goes to show that the Philippines takes Christmastide very seriously. Filipinos are fixated on manifesting all forms of generosity towards others. But whatever their fixation is, everybody must remember that this merry-making should always be guided by the true meaning of Christmas – giving joy, bringing laughter and hope, and extending love in the name of Jesus Christ. 

Jensen Sentillas is a 4th Year Asian Studies Student at the University of Santo Tomas - Faculty of Arts and Letters. 

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