Laurie Rose Lubiano
“To me, nothing screams tradition more than my Filipino family Christmas celebration that is rooted in faith, family and food. If I were to think of holidays as foot races, Christmas would be a marathon and Filipinos would be your ultramarathoners. In the Philippines, Christmas decorations light up as early as September. I live in Daly City, California in the San Francisco Bay Area where nearly 1 in 3 people identify as Filipino and it’s no different. In our neighboring city of South San Francisco, an electric Christmas tree, on top of Sign Hill, can also be seen lit up in September! Filipino Catholics also partake in a nine-day novena leading up to Christmas which includes daily evening masses called “Simbang Gabi,” culminating in midnight mass on Christmas Eve.
Growing up, celebrating Christmas meant Christmas Eve with Christmas music on blast, and 40-plus family and extended family members packing our house, anxiously yet excitedly staying up until midnight to celebrate Christmas and exchange presents. Christmas Eve also meant a “Noche Buena” feast of traditional dishes like lechon (roast pig), Filipino spaghetti (yes it has hotdog slices in it!), jamon, queso de bola with warm pan de sal, pancit, lumpia, and traditional desserts like leche flan, fruit salad, bibingka, and puto. In addition to a mountain of presents, our house was adorned with “parols” which are colorful, handmade, lanterns often made from materials like capiz shells, bamboo and glass that are shaped as a five-point star representing the Star of Bethlehem. Inspired by the “slug bug” game, our family created a “Parol game” during the Christmas season. When we are driving in the evening and see a flashing parol decorating a home, we shout out “PAROL!” The first one to call out a parol scores a point. At the end of the holidays, the person who has the most points wins!”
Deckers Careers 