Jack Peterson Posted December 29, 2014 Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) Beats me how fireworks and shooting off guns became a part of it. Any excuse will do I guess. Ah! that will be the Islamic Influence Creeping in :unsure: Ever seen a Photo or a news reel where they were not letting of Guns and Explosions when excited? Don't know about your Area but here in NOr it is always the Muslims that are selling the Fireworks. Edited December 29, 2014 by Jack Peterson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hounddriver Posted December 29, 2014 Posted December 29, 2014 They set off a lot of those 'Star' fireworks here. I wonder if they are still hoping the 3 Wise men will come (when they see the star from afar). Christmas is said to be the season (here) in any month that includes an 'r'. That is September through February. It is said tongue in cheek but the beggars that ask for a Christmas handout and the music being played lend some truth to the fable. I think the people with little or no money use any excuse to ask for a handout. I have sympathy for some of the kids but just yesterday a kid of about 8 asked me for a Christmas handout and I asked him what was in his bag. He showed me. A bag full of coins that was as full as the bag of candy I used to collect on Halloween (when I was a kid his age). Its a good business for these kids. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hounddriver Posted December 29, 2014 Posted December 29, 2014 Here's another 'Christmas Culture' story. At lunch today a few North American backpackers were at the table behind me. In their 20's and obviously tourists, they were speaking loud and I could not help but hear one fellow talk about his experience: "And then they brought me the bill and I looked at it and it was like 200 pesos and I thought that was quite a bit and then the lady said "Merry Christmas" and I'm like: Seriously? Thanks very much. And I thought 200 pesos was a lot for these people and they are like offering to pay my bill for me just because its Christmas. I love this place" So he apparently walked out happy, without paying his bill. What I suspect really happened is the waitress (or similar) brought the bill for 200 pesos and said "Merry Christmas" in hopes that this young white fellow would give a big tip as a Christmas gift. That is one BIG difference in Christmas cultures. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert k Posted December 29, 2014 Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) I went to services with my girl on the 24th. The crowd was overflow and we were outside. One local never removed his hat, another rode her motorcycle up to the door to sit on. One boy was steadily trying to uproot a small two meter tree in the church's landscape. Three girls were facebooking and playing games on a phone until it ran out of charge and hour later. Still, these were outnumbered 100 to 1 by people there for the right reason. Even a heathen like me. :thumbsup: I was there because it made her happy. Edited December 29, 2014 by robert k 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJReyes Posted December 29, 2014 Posted December 29, 2014 Before bedtime on Jan 5, my wife as a child would gather up all her shoes and lay them around the tree for the Three Kings to leave money. Money? It use to be candies, but maybe the shoes interfered with the taste. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum Support scott h Posted December 29, 2014 Forum Support Posted December 29, 2014 Christmas is as commercialized here in the Philippines just as much as any other country I have ever visited, commercials, displays, specials, shopping etc etc etc. Its just a matter of disposable income IMO. The most different cultural trait that I have noticed is not the spirit of "giving" but the spirit of "expecting" if not even "demanding". There was actually a special report during Christmas week on Solar News channel about how even the "Ninong" (godfather/mother) has changed from the original purpose of taking care of kids if something happens to the parents to have as many as possible and visit them on Christmas and get money. (not my observation but a Philippine news report). Each garbage truck crew comes to the gate with an envelope expecting a gift. My mother used to give our mailman a bag of cookies, here they hand you an envelope. Traffic enforcers loudly wish you a Merry Christmas and then put out their hand expecting (or hoping for) a gift. Now I don't know how much of this is because I am the "Rich 'Kano" and if Merry Christmas just replace "Hey Joe, give me money" for two weeks, but these are just some of my observations. :cheersty: 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacBubba Posted December 29, 2014 Posted December 29, 2014 Money? It use to be candies, but maybe the shoes interfered with the taste. Mentioned this to my wife...she agrees. Candy left in shoes (even if a new pair) would not be appealing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hounddriver Posted December 30, 2014 Posted December 30, 2014 Each garbage truck crew comes to the gate with an envelope expecting a gift I left out a lot of 'valuable trash' this week, knowing the garbage collectors would have a field day with all those 'Christmas gifts'. Uh Uh. Neighbors got to my trash first. So no tip for the garbage men this year. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpbago Posted December 30, 2014 Posted December 30, 2014 (edited) There was actually a special report during Christmas week on Solar News channel about how even the "Ninong" (godfather/mother) has changed from the original purpose of taking care of kids if something happens to the parents to have as many as possible and visit them on Christmas and get money. (not my observation but a Philippine news report). Very true. I have turned down some requests to be one of many godfathers for that very reason but my wife had already accepted that scam before I met her so we have them coming twice a year, on their birthdays and at Christmas. Just another way to get blessings. (pension from birth) Edited December 31, 2014 by jpbago 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacBubba Posted December 31, 2014 Posted December 31, 2014 Very true. I have turned down some requests to be one of many godfathers for that very reason but my wife had already accepted that scam before I met her so we have them coming twice a year, on their birthdays and at Christmas. Just another way to get blessings. That is one bridge we're going to have to cross when we move. The Filipino family that I married into is very selective about godparents for christenings and for weddings. They must be close relatives or close friends. We're going to have to find a nice way to say no to people we are not close to if we are asked to be godparents. My wife frowns upon the evolved practice of having multiple ninongs and ninangs that we've witnessed in Filipino weddings in Canada. To make a statement, when we got married in 1990, she said we would not have any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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