Christmas traditions: Family at the centre of Filipino celebrations
Decorations in the Philippines stay up from September to January
Dec 24, 2020 8:30 AM By: Dariya Baiguzhiyeva
Estela Aguilar Chow says Christmas is the happiest holiday in the Philippines.
Chow is an owner of the Lady Luck Restaurant and Convenience Store in Timmins. Originally from Pangasinan, a province in the Philippines, and she s been in Timmins since 1993.
Christmas for Chow is about family and friends. Material things are not that important for me anymore, she said. I m just happy my family is healthy.
Christmas preparations in the Philippines start early. As soon as September comes, Christmas songs start playing and all the decorations and lights are out, but people don t get tired of it, Chow said.