A luminous celebration of Christmas for Alimodian and Janiuay
Earning the distinction as the festival capital of the Philippines with its diversity celebrated all year round, Iloilo journeys of becoming the region's Christmas capital as it starts to celebrate yule earlier compared with its neighboring provinces.
As Christmas is special to all of us Ilonngos, some towns in the province have become interested in the celebration and absorb some of the customs into their own community. With Christmas music gaining momentum and can be heard sporadically in the beginning of months ending with BER, Ilonggos could already feel the increasing sense of the season of giving.
For over several years in the towns of Alimodian and Janiuay, their Catholic community has been raising funds to organize this anticipated event. It is thanks to their celebration that young and old people are able to enjoy and feel the spirit of Christmas. Fun activities are organized to celebrate the birth of Christ our Saviour.
The town of Alimodian, 24.6 kilometers away from the city, known for breathtaking hills, the grand St. Thomas of Villanova Church built in 1754, it's sweet-tasting sinakol, peanut and native chocolate tableas, it's Mountain Bike Festival and it's Christmas tree and Lantern-making contest. It is the main component in their celebration of Christmas that will start with the switch-on ceremony and opening program on December 7, 2006, at 6 in the evening. As their tradition during this season of love and hope, star-shaped lanterns are found hanging around the vicinity of its public plaza. History tells us that parols, from the Spanish term farol or lantern, were originally used as a means of lighting the way to the church to attend the daily nine-day dawn masses known as Misas de Aguinaldo (Gift Masses) or Misa de Gallo (Rooster's Mass) but popularly known to as the Simbang Gabi. Making the parol for most Alimodianons is an experience of shared hope and faith, a beautiful symbol that reminds them of the star that led the three wise men to baby Jesus, and their own little way of offering to glorify the Lord.
Christian Filipinos also celebrate Christmas by lighting their houses with various Christmas characters, often created such as Santa Claus, the Nativity scene, angels and Christmas candles.
One of the most interesting events in Janiuay is the great Festival of Lights dubbed as Gugma sa Paskua celebrated this year from December 8-31. During the Christmas season, this town, 29 kilometers away from the city, famous for its unique cemetery and Japanese watch tower, Igbiating Falls and Panay's biggest producer of lanot, illuminates with colors that light up the night. The town advertises the season with their giant Santa Claus that reaches almost three stories high. With park trees in multi-colored sparklers hanging on its branches, Janiuay's Christmas lights celebration is a universal holiday featured with fireworks display that brings a holiday atmosphere to everyone.
Although these secular customs and mixture of tradition handed down from Spanish forebears play only a minor role in most of our Christmas rituals, the emphasis of this celebration must be first and foremost placed towards sensitivity to the needs of others.
We should display the spirit of Christmas not only with the bounty of food and the warmth of family life among us Ilonggos, but also with generosity to the less fortunate around the time of Christ's birth.