FILIPINOS are known for their love for food and fellowship, and noche buena — which is Spanish for “night of goodness” — is the epitome of both of those combined. Typically after the last Mass of Simbang Gabi, families go back home to a large spread adorning the dining table. Though families may have created their…
WE associate the holidays with many things. Presents under the Christmas tree. Yuletide songs playing everywhere we go. But most importantly, the holidays are about family, and as Filipinos, family time during the holidays is a must. However, geographic distance and financial roadblocks make that impossible for some Filipino-Americans who may not get to travel…
CHRISTMAS celebration the Filipino way is in full swing in New York as the lobby and glass windows of the Philippine Center along the bustling Fifth Avenue in mid-town Manhattan showcase a colorful collection of traditional parols (Christmas lanterns) and nativity scene. Thousands of New Yorkers and tourists pass by the Philippine Center everyday and…
CHRISTMAS Day is fast approaching and for many in the U.S., that means hustling to finalize Christmas gifts, finding the perfect tree, and sending out family Christmas cards. For the millions of Filipinos living in the U.S., it also means making sure balikbayan boxes are arriving on time to their loved ones back in the Philippines, placing…
Just when the whole world is pre-occupied with the traditional holiday shopping and busy finalizing plans for the yuletide season, twenty six families together with their relatives and friends were suddenly thrown into an abysmal situation following a horrifying carnage that on the morning of Dec. 14 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT….
