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Christmas in the Philippines (Pasko sa Pilipinas) is a major annual celebration, as in most countries of the Christian world. It is celebrated as a public holiday in the country on December 25, concurring with other countries.

The Philippines, one of the two predominantly Catholic countries in Asia (the other one being East Timor), celebrates the world's longest Christmas season (Kapaskuhan), spanning what it refers to as the "ber months". With Christmas music played as early as August, the holiday season gradually begins by September, reaches its peak in December during Christmastide, and concludes within the week after New Year's Day; however, festivities could last until the third Sunday of January, the feast day of the Santo Niño. Liturgically, the Christmas season is observed by the Catholic Church from the first day of Advent (the fourth Sunday before Christmas) to Three Kings' Day, which falls between January 2 and 8.

Etymology and nomenclature
In Filipino and most Philippine languages, the word paskó commonly refers to Christmas. It comes from the Spanish phrase pascua de navidad (lit. 'Easter of the Nativity'); the latter part, de navidad, fell out of use, leaving the word pascua to be assimilated into the local languages over the years. Meanwhile, the Spanish word pascua is descended from Latin pascha, which was borrowed from Ancient Greek πάσχα (páskha), meaning "Passover". In other languages spoken in the country, including Chavacano (a Spanish-based creole), Hiligaynon, and Ilocano, the Spanish-derived word pascua is still in use, although its spelling may vary. In Kapampangan, Pasku (also spelled Pascu), a word related to Tagalog Paskó, is used. Krismas, a Filipinized rendering of the English word Christmas, is also used occasionally in non-formal contexts.

The word Paskó serves as the root word of some Christmas-related terms, such as Kapaskuhán, the name for the Christmas season; namamaskó, a caroller; pamamaskó, the act of caroling; pamaskó, a Christmas gift or present; and pampaskó, or pang-Paskó, which literally means "for Christmas" and may refer to clothing worn on the day of the holiday.

History
In a legendary account, the first Christmas in what is now the Philippines was celebrated sometime between the years 1280 and 1320, predating Ferdinand Magellan's arrival in the islands in 1521. The legend claims that on December 25, 1324, the first Catholic Mass in the country was held by an Italian friar and missionary of the Franciscan order named Odoric. Along with his companions, Odoric had been searching for the Nestorian Christians who went to the Far East when they reached present-day Bolinao, Pangasinan, where they sought refuge after encountering a stormy sea. Likewise, the first Christmas tree is also said to have been planted by Odoric and his companions during their stay in Pangasinan; planting such trees was a custom that would not be commonly practiced until the 19th century, according to Filipino historian Ambeth Ocampo. Several historians, including Ocampo, have stepped in to disprove the legend. William Henry Scott even cast doubt on Odoric's priesthood, and Paul Morrow of the Canada-based magazine Pilipino Express likened its proponents to "the Grinch who stole Christmas". Meanwhile, the Philippine government sides with Limasawa's claim to the title of serving as the venue for the first Mass in the Philippines.

The first official Christmas on Philippine soil was nominally celebrated at Fort San Pedro, on the island of Cebu, in December 1565, marking the early stages of Spanish colonization of the islands. As the natives became subjugated, they gradually converted to Catholicism and adopted the traditions brought by their colonizers, which persist to the present day. According to the Historia de las Islas e Indios de Bisayas, the first documented Misa de Aguinaldo (Spanish for "gift Mass") – a precursor to present-day Simbang Gabi – was held in 1668. This tradition originated in Spain, where it had existed for centuries before reaching the Americas, and was introduced to the Philippines by Mexican missionaries during the Manila galleon trade. Simbang Gabi (Tagalog for "night Mass") was initially conducted before midnight, hence the name. However, in the 1700s, the Mass was moved to dawn as a compromise for farmers working early to avoid midday heat, earning it the name Misa de Gallo (Spanish for "rooster's Mass"), as it coincided with the crowing of roosters. Before these changes, churchgoers were obligated by friars to fast until midnight and could only break their fast after attending Mass. The Filipino Christmas Eve feast, nochebuena (Spanish for "night of goodness"), which followed the final Simbang Gabi Mass, was partly influenced by this custom.

Observance and traditions
In the Philippines, a nation that is overwhelmingly Catholic, Christmas is celebrated for almost half a year, the longest by any country in the world, spanning from September to January. The prolonged celebration of the holiday has earned the months which contain the suffix -ber in their names—September, October, November, and December—the moniker "ber months". The Catholic Church has asked its followers to refrain from celebrating the "ber months", saying that Christmas should only be celebrated from the first day of Advent to the feast of the Epiphany or Three Kings' Day. By law, Christmas Eve (December 24) and Christmas Day (December 25) are public holidays in the Philippines.

Filipino Christmas traditions are a mix of native, Hispanic, and American traditions. Unlike most countries that celebrate the holiday, Christmas in the Philippines has a strong emphasis on kinship and the nativity of Jesus. However, due to commercialization and secularization, observances like the "ber months" and figures such as Santa Claus have become more mainstream.

Christmas Eve is often celebrated with a midnight Mass and the traditional nochebuena ("good night") feast. Family members dine together at around midnight on traditional yuletide fare, which includes: queso de bola ("cheese ball"), which is made of edam sealed in red paraffin wax); tsokolate, noodles and pasta, fruit salad, pandesal, relleno and hamon (Christmas ham).

Church attendance
Simbang Gabi (literally, "night mass") is a novena of dawn Masses from December 16 to 24 (Christmas Eve). Simbang Gabi is mainly practiced by Catholics and Aglipayans, with some Evangelical and independent Protestant churches adopting the practice of having pre-Christmas dawn services. Attending the Masses is meant to show devotion to God and heightened anticipation for the nativity of Jesus, and folk belief holds that God grants the special wish of a devotee that hears all nine Masses. Simbang Gabi Masses usually begin at around 4:30 am, although some begin as early as 03:00 am, or as late as 6:00 am. Some churches celebrate anticipated Masses. These Masses usually begin at around 8:00 pm or 9:00 pm.

Misa de Gallo usually refers only to the last day of Simbang Gabi on Christmas Eve.

Decorations
Due to secularization, decorations such as Santa Claus, Christmas trees, tinsel, faux evergreens, reindeer, and snow have become popular. Christmas lights are strung about in festoons, as the tail of the Star of Bethlehem in belens, star shapes, angels, and in a large variety of other ways, going as far as draping the whole outside of the house in lights. Despite these, the country still retains its traditional decorations.

Parol
The Giant Lantern Festival is an annual festival held the Saturday before Christmas Eve in the city of San Fernando in Pampanga. The festival's popularity has earned the city the moniker "Christmas Capital of the Philippines".

Films
While not all films released during the Christmas season are Christmas-themed, the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF)