Common phrase that you will hear this time of year in the US, but I was surprised to learn that Halloween is celebrated in another way here in the Philippines. There is no getting dressed up in store bought costumes and planning a route for taking the kids going door to door saying “trick or treat” here. I found myself going to the local mall to do a little shopping for foods, ummm a mistake.
There must have been twenty thousand people there! For one it was the deadline to register to vote here in the Philippines and two Halloween here is celebrated in grand fashion at the mall! That’s right the tradition as I learned was to create, not buy, but make yourself a costume and depending on your age enter a costume judging contest or enjoy many festivities that includes a marching band, the local “jollibee” parading through the grocery store and all of the department stores on all the other levels of the mall.
Halloween!
And let me tell you I was so impressed at the talent and thought in making these costumes. It kind of makes sense to me that unlike the US, they do not go door to door here, I mean the difference you will find in just about any neighborhood here is one house will have crystal chandeliers and the next door home have woven palm frawns for a front door, so it makes sense to celebrate Halloween either privately with a home party or at the local mall. The local paper here has a front page story in it that quotes the Catholic church as saying that Halloween is becoming a commercial holiday, made me think that as long as I can remember, I can never remember thinking that Halloween as a religious holiday, but it is, it All Hallows Day, but more holidayesqe here and celebrated by more here is the following days November 1 and November 2, November 1 being All Saints Day and November 2 being All Souls Day, at this time the departed are remembered and even as I shopped in the grocery store I was surprised to find there was no chicken for sale, see it was already sold to people making the pilgrimage to the cemetery to make a offering to the departed and actually have a picnic at the cemetery!
This has its deepest roots in the traditions of the Catholic religion of which I am a member but never did I celebrate this holy tradition in my home country, that’s why I had to kind of chuckle when reading about how the Church was angry about the holiday being commercialized. In my opinion Christmas takes that top honor all over the world.
I really love exploring the differences of living here in the Philippines and I hope you do or will too soon!
Mabuhay !
About Tommy
Hi Tommy;
What Holiday have they not commercialized? I’m happy I can still say “Halloween”, because in the U.S. it’s politically incorrect to say “Merry Christmas” even though Christmas is a federal Holiday. Let’s find Mr. Peabody and his “Way-Back-Machine” (Rocky & Bullwinkle Show) and go to a time when we didn’t know what Politically Incorrect was. No Trick or Treat, but next month we’ll get the kids with the Pots and Pans singing at the gate. I love it here!!!
no rick or treat here that’s for sure ..all the family here took food an drinks for the departed loved ones …happy Halloween everyone …Phil n Jess
It’s all a trick
(When off my pills, I’ve wondered what trick or treat would be like in the Philippines. I’d imagine it would be a let down for some kids [and "business as usual" for others]. How could one top a full-out “theme party” with family and friends in a cemetary? I know I never had lechon for Halloween in the USA.
Hi Paul. I talked to the squirrel and the moose and i got in the way back machine and I landed here in Tagum City ! it really is the way it should be, you havent had them bangin on the drums yet ? been goin on here for a month !
In private subdivisions like ayala, they host the trick or treats where you could dress up and go around trick or treating. I think other subdivisions do it too.
Hi Phil, I never could understand why they brought food there and just left it I mean I think I would freak if it was suddenly gone would’t you ? I almost camped out in a cemetary before, it was All Saints Cemetary in DesPlaines Illinois, where Al Copone is buried !
Hi Paul hahaha @ business as usual …. true and yea better and more life like then Universal Studios huh !!
Tommy;
A Month? Trick or treat would be better that that.
Hi Ana thank you for your comment, that may be the case in some of the more affluent neighborhoods but from what I understand where I live the focus of these holidays is not on the commercial side but rather on the religious side in honoring and paying respect to the deceased,where I live Ana is Tagum City and it is the home of the worlds largest rosary and a huge catholic monument church Christ The King so it makes sense that the celebration is on the biblical aspect with only some festivities focused on the fun and games side