Philippines Customs & Traditions

 

New Year Customs and Traditions

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In the Philippines, we have customs and traditions we follow religiously which we hope would ensure that we live a happy and prosperous life – yes we live to wish. LOL

Anyway, we have sets of traditions that we adhere to.

During the New Year, for instance, we would dress in red.  this is a tradition we inherited from our Chinese ancestry, for prosperity. If we are not wearing red, the next best thing is something with dots or polka dots, the bigger the circles the better. If the dress is in red polka dots, then so much the better.

We would start the New Year celebration at the stroke of midnight where we have a Media Noche, a midnight feast.

It is a feast.  We cook and serve the most sumptuous Filipino food but lately, we have adopted more and more foreign dishes such as carbonara, Spagbol, varieties of cheeses, and selections of cakes such as gateaus.

Our New Year’s table is laden with delicious food. We also have on our table a huge bowl of fruits. It has to be 13 round fruits of different varieties.  We use our imagination in looking for round fruits on New Year’s eve. It was stressful.

My sister and I used to debate whether a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. It is a fruit!

Being rather vertically challenged, at the stroke of midnight, my siblings and I would jump as high as we can so the wind of the New Year would take pity on us and make us grow taller. Did not work, I can tell you that.

We do not sweep the floors no matter how dusty they get. Sweeping is as good as turning away good fortune of the new year.

On New Year’s day, we also try to do all the things that we would like to be doing all year round.

One of the things that I brought with me from the Philippines to the UK in terms of New Year traditions is the placement of coins on every window sill and doorway in our house. My English husband has been so indulgent and there have been times when he reminds me and even offers to do it himself.

Well have a blessed New Year!