It’s really beginning to look a lot like Christmas

It’s only mid- November but the signs of Christmas are everywhere. It’s not only at the malls where Christmas came early with all shops now decked with colorful Yuletide décor. The mood of the happiest season of the year is now lighting many avenues, buildings, hotels, restaurants and village centers. No one can forget that Christmas is only 39 days away!

The countdown for Christmas actually started as soon as the “ber” months rolled in. You must hear that daily – or even hourly – from your favorite radio station. Officially, Christmas starts on Dec. 16 when the dawn mass or Simbang Gabi, the nine-day novena, starts. It ends on the feast of the Holy Epiphany, set on the first Sunday after

New Year’s Day. That’s about 20 days of Christmas but trust the Pinoys to stretch that with an early start—which you can see around you everywhere.

The landmarks of Christmas are many. The best one, of course, is when a simple tree is transformed into the big symbol of Christmas. At the Manila Hotel, two large Christmas trees decked with red, white, and green candy canes and giant balls bring in the magic of the season. That, plus a carousel between two giant Christmas trees, invite a childhood memory that always comes at this time of the year.

Another landmark of the season is the lighting of the thousands of lights that line Ayala Avenue, creating a fantastic light show in the gardens of the Ayala Triangle, and continuing with the magical decorations in the shops in the Makati Commercial Business District.

In Quezon City, many Christmas landmarks illuminate the magical spirit of the season –the lighting of the giant Christmas Tree at the Araneta Center, the light and sound shows at the Trinoma Mall, the Christmas houses of popular brand characters at SM North.

In Ortigas, shoppers are entertained by the Christmas mood created in the malls around the busy business district – at Shangri-la Plaza, Robinsons Mall, and Megamall.

Even the light posts along major roads scream “Christmas” – with pretty décor that started to be constructed in mid- October.

It’s really beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Enjoy it! (PCC)