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It is a known fact that the Philippines is among the many nations that have the longest celebration of Christmas. As soon as September begins, the Christmas feeling is already there.
But what makes the holidays special in the country are the traditions derived from the Pinoy heritage that many still follow to this day. And those are best captured in Disney UK’s three-minute short vacation. The video went viral on social media because Filipinos share similar sentiments with the story of a grandmother, her granddaughter, and a vintage Mickey Mouse stuffed toy featured in the short video.
Nostalgia plays an important role in Philippine Christmas traditions. That’s why, in addition to the heartwarming music and gorgeous animation, Filipinos connected so much with the video because it highlighted treasured holiday memories and reminded them of what Christmas is all about: valuing family.
“We knew that having a story that placed tradition and togetherness at its center would make it feel relevant and easily identifiable to people around the world,” he says. Angela Affinita, Brand and Creative Marketing Director for Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing Europe, Middle East and Africa, in an interview with The drum. “We approach this in a similar way to how we would do a Disney short. We only have three minutes to tell the story and we had to place the characters at their core ”.
The animation process started in April in New Zealand. One of the main factors that made it possible for the short film to truly capture that uniqueness Philippine Christmas feeling is Angela’s childhood. He grew up with his Filipino grandmother and drew some elements of history from his own experiences. But even though the story centers on a lola and her apo, the feature film “definitely had universal appeal.”
While it’s fun to list all the Easter eggs in the video, we’ve decided to list some of the Philippine Christmas traditions that we saw in the short film. So tell us, do these customs still occur in your Christmas celebrations?
Hand
Before the young Pinoy learn the alphabet, hand or maneuver it is one of the first lessons they have. During the opening scene we saw this gesture of honor performed by the then young grandmother. This is practiced by young Filipinos to show respect to the elderly, whether they meet them on the street or as soon as they enter their home. This act shows that the young accept the wisdom and blessing of the elders.
Relics
Filipino families try to pass traditions down from one generation to another, be it an old recipe, a jewel, or, in the case of the movie, an old toy. Also, many Filipino grandparents love to keep things that keep them special memories, as seen in the video with “Grandma’s house full of trinkets and personal mementos.”
Words
A true Filipino Christmas stamp is the parol or Christmas lantern. This Christmas ornament symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem. Through the years, the parol It has evolved from humble Japanese paper and bamboo stick construction to more elaborate designs made from different materials such as shells, beads, LED lights, and recycled plastic. Places like San Fernando, Pampanga, and the city of Las Piñas in Metro Manila are known for producing some of the best Christmas lanterns.
Families coming together
As the lyrics of the song “Love is a Compass” that accompanies the video say, Christmas is “like a map of memories, and like a compass that marks the paths.” Christmas is something of a search engine, that no matter how old, young or cool you are, coming home for the holidays is the best gift. This magic of the Christmas season is valid for all families in the world. But for the 12 million Filipinos abroad scattered around the world, having Christmas with their families is something to look forward to all year long.
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