Caroling in the Philippines:

Caroling is an enduring and beautiful Filipino Christmas tradition. Once the month of December comes, we see carolers going around singing Christmas carols from house to house spreading the spirit of the season through Christmas songs, traditional and modern versions.

Usually it is the children grouping together and going around house to house in their neighborhood to sing

Christmas carols. Among the old time favorites are Jingle Bells, Silent Night, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Silver Bells. Traditional Filipino Christmas songs add to the festive atmosphere, like Ang Pasko ay Sumapit, Pasko na Naman, Himig Pasko, Payapang Daigdig.

Filpino ingenuity comes naturally with handmade musical instruments made from bottle tops for tambourine, or drums fashioned out from used cans or biscuit tins. The children are happy with whatever amount from the generosity of people is shared with them.

Even adults are into caroling during the Christmas season. Church organizations, clubs, and other adult groups also do their caroling to raise funds. Some of thesee groups give a letter in advance to inform the date and time of caroling. They usually come with more "professional" musical instruments like the guitar, drums, tambourine, and even portable musical organ. For these groups, it is a wonderful feeling not only to spread the joy of the Yuletide Season but to raise needed funds for their organizations or causes and advocacy.

In my community, a group of chapel volunteers do our annual caroling during the first week of December among our community to raise funds for the annual maintenance and operational expenses of our community chapel. We end up before the start of our Simbang Gabi Masses which start at 5:15 in the morning to have time to prepare for the Simbang Gabi Masses in our chapel.

Christmas carols make the Yuletide Season livelier and more spirited. They remind the people that Christmas is really giving and sharing, which also manifests the Filipino spirit of generosity and magnanimity. For the essence of Christmas, after all, is God sharing Himself with humanity as an Infant in our Lord Jesus.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Nick Isip