Hello, hello BER months! It’s almost Christmas again – the most wonderful time of the year! It may have been different from how we celebrate our Christmases before, but this time of the year still never fails to bring back hope and joy in all of us.
The Philippines boasts the earliest and longest Christmas season in the world. Once September 1 arrives, it’s already a Merry Christmas, and jingles start to be played all over.
Let’s take a quick look at why we love the BER months and what we miss about it especially now that it seems to be another pandemic Christmas celebration.
Christmas shopping is therapy
It’s the most generous time of the year. With numerous sales and promos from different stores and brands, people buy a lot of gifts for family and friends. People have extra money to spend with the bonus and incentives during this season, and malls get filled with individuals eager to wrap their presents.
Singing along the Christmas carols
The all-time favorite Jose Mari Chan carols dominate the airwaves during the BER months. Once these start, we can’t seem to prevent ourselves from singing along. Whether you’re on the bus, in the mall, in your car, or at home, you’ll just burst singing the Christmas classics.
Caroling from house to house is what we miss doing. Since there are restrictions now, let’s just try doing carolings at home! In the Philippines, it’s not a requirement for you to know how to sing and reach the notes. The funnier and more improvised, the better. It adds to the fun and excitement!
The old traditions are the classic
Midnight masses or simbang gabi, eating bibingka and puto bumbong, and exchanging gifts are always part of the celebration. Even if we do this countless times for the past years, it still feels good to complete the nine days of misa de gallo and make a wish, try the native delicacies after the mass, and be generally generous during the Christmas season.
Enjoying great food and feasts
The Christmas season is considered one of the biggest celebrations we have every year. People are hosting feasts at home and preparing a whole variety of dishes for the Noche Buena. It’s the ultimate cheat day for everyone. It’s just that now that we’re on a pandemic, we should try doing localized celebrations for the safety of everyone.
Advance Happy Holidays, friends! Gift yourself with one of the biggest investments you can ever get! Should you start with your dream home already? 😉
References
DMCI, Events and Culture. (2013). 11 Reasons Why We Love “Ber” Months. Retrieved from https://communities.dmcihomes.com/reasons-love-ber-months/
Fetalver, A. M. (2021). Hello Ber Months! 5 Pinoy Pre-Christmas Traditions We Miss. Retrieved from https://www.globe.com.ph/go/shopping-lifestyle/article/ber-months-pinoy-pre-christmas-traditions.html#gref
Paje, A. C. (2021). Here’s why the Philippines celebrates the world’s longest Christmas season. Retrieved from https://ph.news.yahoo.com/here-is-why-the-philippines-celebrate-the-worlds-longest-christmas-season-062426338.html