Back in 2021 I was in Bahrain waiting for the Philippines to lift it's ban on Foreigners caused by COV19. I was preparing the 8th version of my Cash flow forecast and wrote to several friends here in Palawan to see I had not missed anything. Beth at LVF Farms in Santa Lourdes wrote back in August 2020 , when I first put my cash flow together , ready to move here in Feb 2021 to say
" I would add Christmas expenses separately as I find I spend a lot on that " - wise words Beth!
I duly added 50,000 peso in November and so far have spent 23,000, and I have not got the food yet!
Having spent Christmas 2021 in Dubai, while I waited for my elusive visa to enter the Philippines I wanted to make my first Christmas here in Palawan really special, both for me , the people I support here and their loved ones.
I also wanted to involve them all in the special day and build the excitement in the months before, so we allocated Monito Monita ( Secret Santa) in July, Asked each person to select their favourite dish in August, a Game in September and they are all now working on their "Lesson Learnt" which they will have to share with the others......
"Christmas in the Philippines (Filipino: Pasko sa Pilipinas) is one of the biggest holidays in the country. The Philippines, one of two predominantly Catholic countries in Asia (the other one being East Timor), celebrates the world's longest Christmas season,[1][2] with Christmas carols heard as early as September 1 and lasting variously until either Epiphany, the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9, or the Feast of the Santo Niño on the third Sunday of January.[3] The official observance by the Catholic Church in the Philippines is from the first day of Advent until the Feast of the Epiphany on the first Sunday after New Year's Day.[4]
Every year, Filipinos from around the world mark September 1 as the beginning of the countdown to Christmas. This countdown, which spans from September to December, otherwise known as the "Ber months", is one of the most important traditions that make the world's earliest and longest timespan of a Christmas season.[5][6][7]
The Christmas season gradually starts from September 1 to December 25 and ends in either January (the midpoint being the third or fourth week of that month) or February.[8] It is celebrated for almost half a year (4 months, or 4 months and 3–4 weeks, or 5 months). Generally, holiday decorations are available as early as the weekend of the National Heroes' Day in August. But for the members of the Philippine Independent Church or Aglipayans, Christmas starts on the eve of December 24 and ends on January 1"
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_the_Philippines ( accessed 25.08.22)
Thank you Wiki, where would we be without you!
Chester, the Hooman, has been busy working on Tatay's first Christmas since soon after I arrived here and he gives us an update now on what he has planned for TBK in The Philippines this Christmas.
What's that . Chester, you need festive Music, one minute please. It simply would not be Christmas in the Philippines without this guy:
Jose Mari Chan
Again for those who have not heard of him , Jose Mari Chan , is an essential part of Christmas here in the Philippines. Now age 77 his songs can still be heard daily at this time of year across the Philippines.
"Jose "Joe" Mari Lim Chan (born March 11, 1945) is a Filipino singer, TV host, songwriter and businessman in the sugar industry. He is currently chairman and CEO of Binalbagan Isabela Sugar Company, Inc. (BISCOM) and A. Chan Sugar Corporation. He is also the chairman and president of Signature Music, Inc. Awarded in 1974 as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines. He received a Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Philippine Association of the Recording Industry and The Metro Pop Foundation. Recipient of the first ever ABS-CBN "ELITE Platinum Award" in 2005 and a recipient of the 2006 Dr. Jose P Rizal Award For Excellence.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose_Mari_Chan ( accessed 25.08.22)
Here is his most famous song which I was listening to as I wrote this blog!
Jose Mari Chan & Liza Chan - Christmas In Our Hearts (Official Music Video with lyrics)
So, Chester, over to you in Marikina, what have we got in store for our 27,000 readers and viewers this year?
We are down to the last third of the year, and you know what it is for the Philippines when we hit the BER season!?
To start off the BER mood, we will have a revamped Blog header to greet our dear readers. Our Youtube and Facebook pages will also have a festive redesign aptly for Pinoy Christmas!
Say you? This will be a Christmas filled blog and vlog for the months to come.
Merry Christmas to all TBK followers! Back to you in Palawan :)
"Thanks Chester out there in Marikina, and may we all take this opportunity here in the warm studio to thank you for all the hard work you guys do all year round behind the scenes to keep us on the air" ( said in a Maarte, Sosyal News anchor voice , Charizz). So lets unite Chester ( Hooman) with Chester ( dawg) in a shmaltzy Festive card which will be going out on 1st September!
I asked Chester to include himself as part of the TBK family on our Christmas card along with Chester the dog and from left to write the students I sponsor at University:
Elay, Kit, Jhoanna , TJ and Grecil
The Blue House has been given a Festive makeover for the inside of our Christmas card:
You just gotta love Chester's imagination - although he made me look like a cross between Evan Glasset and John Power!
We have lots of fun and interaction lined up for the festive season- Grecil and John are working on a Christmas quiz on my favourite subject ( me) and here is an interactive poll for you.. should I grow my beard and really look like Chester's artwork?
The bearded Santa... when I could not find any shaving lotion
The fresh faced Sariwa Baget look! ( charizz!)
TJ is arranging the date for our Christmas lunch which will be in the Blue House for the first time. The banner is printed ( you cannot have a party in the Philippine without a banner)
This one has my scholar's partners in as well , as they will all be joining us for our Maligayang Pasko Lunch, so left to right we have Tatay with Elay, Jullymar, Jhoanna, Kit, Chalsee ( brothers not partners!), Sarah, Grecil, TJ and John.
Beshy at Lost Paradise in Bahrain last year
We have an action packed day planned- Beshy is joining us from Bahrain (via Video) with his Traditional Christmas Carol and then we will be exchanging gifts. Each person picked a number at random and was allocated a person to buy a gift for. In the UK we called this Secret Santa but here it's Monito Monita. The meal was chosen by the scholars and their partners and I have booked Frythy and Noel to help in the Kitchen and the Cake will be made by The Little Things ( The Little Things) and I am hopeful that Gracie at Poochies Kitchen ( Poochies Kitchen) will supply some of the goodies my scholars requested ( either that or Jollibee!)
After the meal , cooked by Chef Tatay Neil ( as TJ has renamed me) each couple has to host a party game ( lots of Balloons, music, chairs and pieces of paper on the floor) as Pinoys love Bonding! Then each scholar has 2 minutes to share a "Lesson Learned" over the last year before we depart ( but, rumour has it the party will carry on all weekend - sorry in advance to my new neighbours!).
Deck the Halls ( from Pinterest!)
Reyner will be joining us to decorate the halls with boughs of holly and we even have additional chairs and a table on order with Rodel Furniture so all 10 of us can sit around one table!
So hopefully you can see why Chester and I are getting very excited about our first Christmas here in Palawan. However you know we will be raising a glass of Royal to absent friends around the world. There are too many to mention but you all know who you are.
Christmas 2021 at LPOD in Bahrain with Corleen, Beshy , Santa and TBK!
Hello, I am The British Kabayan! Feel free to read my stories.
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