Since moving to the Philippines last year to minister among mainland Chinese folks here, we have had to learn a lot about our new ministry location. One thing we learned very soon after arriving is that in the Philippines, Christmas starts in September! Here, they call it the “ber” months. SeptemBER, OctoBER, NovemBER, DecemBER. It is a huge deal, but a weird adjustment. This year at the mall I heard Mariah Careys “All I Want for Christmas” playing as early as August 31st. Imagine doing 4 months of Elf on the Shelf!
While it is a bit odd for us, Filipinos cherish this tradition. And I am beginning to enjoy the slow work up to Christmas. As the Christmas and holiday seasons increasingly seem overwhelming and focused on consumerism, this slowing down and taking time to feel the coming of the Christmas season is a helpful reminder to myself to slow down and remember what this season is about. Each week we see new signs of Christmas showing up in the city. Each week the Christmas decorations expand. Last week the city is started to decorate the main circle in town with more Christmas decorations often influenced by beautiful Catholic icons (Philippines is a majority Catholic country). It is almost as if the “ber” months are just an extended Advent, giving everyone enough time to fully prepare themselves for this Light coming in the darkness.
Maybe putting up your Christmas tree in September isn’t the only way to remind you to slow down, but I do pray that this year, as you slow down and focus on Advent and the preparation of our hearts and souls for the arrival of “God with Us” we can remember and reflect on the Light and Presence of Christ in our lives during the colder, darker “ber” months! As you reflect this Advent season, remember to pray for the Global Church that is also reflecting on this Light in the darkness. Please pray for the mainland Chinese community that we are connecting with here in the Philippines. Pray that as they are reminded literally everywhere around them about Christmas here, that they will have opportunities to see, hear, and know this true Light in our midst, and feel the presence of the Divine with them in this place.
Check out these photos from the Baguio City Christmas Lantern Parade and Tree Lighting.
