As Filipinos Meet Swiss Christmas

A yuletide song would say that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. It is a rare opportunity where families and friends gather to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Celebrating Christmas may vary depending on the country’s tradition. The tropical Christmas that we have in the Philippines may be different from those of the Western Hemisphere. This variation of Christmas traditions sparks curiosity especially to Filipinos who are longing of a White Christmas. A fellow Filipino will show us how they celebrate White Christmas in one of Europe’s most innovative country by far and the home of Swiss Alps – Switzerland.

The Swiss Flag is the federal symbol of Switzerland or the Swiss Confederation.

Before we get to know how Switzerland celebrates Christmas, a quick rundown about the country would be a great appetizer. Switzerland, according to the World Economic Forum, is one of the richest countries in the world. It is also the birthplace of Red Cross. Switzerland or the Swiss Confederation has not been in a state of war internationally since 1815. As a result, it is considered as a neutral country. Switzerland is comprised of three main linguistic and cultural regions like German, Italian, and French.

Nenita Orenday – Bur during her March 2011 Philippine vacation.

Nenita Orenday – Bur is a dual citizen of both Philippines and Switzerland. In her 50 years of existence, half of it had experienced a tropical Filipino Christmas. The other half was spent in Lucerne, North-Central Switzerland where she became an Overseas Filipino Worker for Rado and Bulova Watches. Later on, she married a Swiss watchmaker named Marcel Bur. She eventually got her Swiss citizenship.

Nenita was amazed the first time she celebrated Christmas in Switzerland. The freezing weather and snow made a big difference from that of a windy Christmas weather in the Philippines. The sceneries in Switzerland during Christmas season are like beautiful pictures in calendars that they have in the Philippines. It was truly a dream come true, a White Christmas in the flesh. “Christmas in Switzerland is not as loud as in the Philippines. The views are beautiful but people choose to stay indoors because of the snow coming from the Swiss Alps.” she explained.

Ringli – Swiss homemade doughnuts.

Another difference that she noticed was the absence of 9 mornings of “Simbang Gabi” or the Filipino Midnight Mass which she had celebrated as a child. Many Swiss families go to churches to attend Midnight Mass only during Christmas Eve. Puto Bumbong, Bibingka, Suman, Chestnuts and Tablea Hot Chocolates of Batangas are mostly seen outside of Filipino churches during Simbang Gabi. On the other hand, huge homemade doughnuts called ringli and Swiss Hot Chocolate is shared by Swiss families. Aside from watches, Switzerland is also known for different kinds of chocolates from white to dark flavors.

The Advent calendar is a significant part of the Swiss Christmas tradition. Many Swiss children take it on little flaps with windows and each had images that symbolize a Christmas scene. Both Philippines and Switzerland practice Christmas Carols. For Nenita, she really misses the little voice of Filipino children with their improvised tambourine and drums made out of softdrink taps and empty milk cans. Swiss children are cute while singing but behave a bit formal. Filipino children are more jolly and enthusiastic while singing Christmas Carols which made it more entertaining.

For Nenita, Filipino Carollers are more jolly and enthusiast than Swiss Children.

Jesus Christ as a celebrant of Christmas is represented by an angelic figure in Switzerland. It is also believed to be the symbol of the guiding star of Bethlehem. Meanwhile, Filipinos would represent Jesus as a child in the manger during Christmas.  Santa Claus has been adapted to Filipino Christmas traditions but in Switzerland, he plays a much smaller role. Swiss believes that Santa Claus or for them “Samichlaus” was not accompanied by reindeer rather by a donkey and a dark-clad assistant.

Nenita recalls how exciting and fun it is to shop in Divisoria for Christmas gifts.

Nenita remembers how Filipinos diligently shop and go to malls just to add to the Christmas rush. She also misses midnight sale and challenge to lower the price of the item. In Switzerland, malls are closed as early as six in the evening. Because of this, she did not fully enjoy the shopping experience. She was still happy at the end of the day because chocolates in Switzerland are of bargain prices, they are abundant. She always sends chocolates to relatives in big boxes.

With regards to exchange gifts, Christmas dinner, and Christmas decorations, Nenita said that there is no difference between the Philippines and Switzerland. “We also practice exchange gifts and even have our own Swiss family dinner. Swiss people are also family oriented. They sing songs of praise while decorating the Christmas tree during Christmas Eve.” she said. Unlike in Switzerland, Filipinos decorate their Christmas tree at the start of the “Ber” months. The Philippines has the longest celebration of Christmas in the world starting from September until the feast of the Epiphany in January.

It has been 25 years since Nenita have celebrated Christmas in the Philippines. She returns every two to five years but her work schedule would not allow her to travel during holidays. “Swiss Christmas tradition is always a joyful and solemn celebration but in my heart, I would always long for a Filipino Christmas. It is a different feeling when you celebrate Christmas in the Philippines. “ she revealed on the interview.

Through Nenita’s story of Swiss White Christmas, similarities and differences from Philippine tropical Christmas was presented. From there, a discovery of the true meaning of Christmas was shown. It is always amazing to see how other parts of the world, like Switzerland, celebrate the birth of Jesus. We get thrilled of their White Christmas complete with falling snowflakes. But as Filipinos, we should also be proud of our own Christmas because it is the happiest Christmas in the world. We may not be as rich as Switzerland in terms of money but we are rich in values, unique traditions, and unending smiles for everyone. It is always nice to taste a White Christmas for it is mostly every Filipinos dream. But we can all agree that Filipino Christmas, even without our dream snow, is the best because it does not end only in the Epiphany. It stays forever through the love of our savior in the manger.

Merry Christmas every one. One Love.

Images Source:

http://bankingfrancs.livejournal.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/interchangeableparts/3135839947/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kochtopf/67082057/

http://skiswissvalley.com/stuff-to-know/valley-kids/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daniel_walker/6346314345/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/switzerland_county_in_tourism/3110991074/

http://www.intomobile.com/2009/11/12/switzerland-already-prepares-for-radio-spectrum-auctions-in-2013/

http://scrapbookdimensions.com/online/25-days-of-christmas-advent-calendar/

 http://www.worldpulse.com/node/32464

HEY ITS HEPALANE

Betamax, kwek kwek, IUD are just few of the weirdest words I knew on my first pace on CM Recto.
My mom told me not to eat food from ambulance vendor. Hence she taught me what might

happen to me after eating it.
Thypoid fever, Hepatitis are two of the most common diseases a person could have from eating this kind of food. I thought my mom was doing a sort of lying to scare me and my
dad who loves eating street food.
As I walk along the streets of Recto I learned that there is an existing place called
‘HEPALANE’ a street where all kinds of street foods are dinned. Most of the stalls serve shoamai or steamed dumpling. For only 27 pesos , 5 pieces of steamed dumplings and a cup of rice are all yours.
Moreover, the kwekwek or the coated quail eggs are also in for most of the residents of Recto. For 10 pesos you may enjoy 4 pieces of it.In other words a single dime could fill you.
Perhaps street foods are cheap, but we must know the facts behind the food we enjoy along
the streets.

Quail eggs are mostly eaten by foxes, because it has more protein than an egg. Quail eggs
are packed with vitamins and minerals. Even with their small size, their nutritional
value is three to four times greater than chicken eggs. Quail eggs contain 13 percent
proteins compared to 11 percent in chicken eggs. Quail eggs also contain 140 percent
of vitamin B1 compared to 50 percent in chicken eggs. In addition, quail eggs provide
five times as much iron and potassium. Unlike chicken eggs, quail eggs have not been known to cause allergies or diathesis. Actually they help fight allergy symptoms due to the ovomucoid protein they contain.

Hence, quail eggs have 4 to 6 times of a regular egg basically those who have hypertension
must avoid eating too much.

On the other hand, other street foods like isaw, and IUD can cause trikinosis or
trichiniasis trikinisis, parasitic disease caused by the roundworm Trichinella spiralis.
It follows the eating of raw or inadequately cooked meat, especially pork. The larvae are
released, reach maturity, and mate in the intestines, the females producing live larvae.
The parasites are then carried from the gastrointestinal tract by the bloodstream to
various muscles, where they become encysted. It is estimated that 10% to 20% of the adult
population of the United States suffers from trichinosis at some time. In many people the
disease exhibits no symptoms and is discovered only at autopsy. In others it causes
diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms as the worms multiply in the digestive tract.
When the larvae circulate through the bloodstream, the patient experiences edema,
irregular fever, profuse sweating, muscle soreness and pain, and prostration. There may be
involvement of the central nervous system, heart, and lungs; death occurs in about 5% of
clinical cases. Once the larvae have imbedded themselves in the muscle tissue, the cysts
usually become calcified; however, the infestation usually causes no further symptoms
except fatigue and vague muscular pains. There is no specific treatment.
Therefore we must be aware of what we are eating some may cause good effect and sadly
others really do not.

HEY ITS PHIL CLICK HERE!

From Rizal to Sacramento

 

Brecia, or Isyang, as what I fondly call her, is my best buddy in high school. During Christmas time, we usually spent our nights in Cainta, Rizal (at their old grandma’s house), letting the night pass us by, talking about what gifts we want to receive, the clothes we’ll wear in our party, and what we want to eat while munching V-cut or Chippy which we bought from nearby 7-Eleven.

For years, we exchanged gifts just because, even how simple it was, from letters and simple singing greeting cards to handcrafted scrapbooks and self-made bookmarks.

 

But that was all before. She is now in the United States with her family where she resides for good.  After that, my Christmas without my friend has been all different.

 

It has been three years since she left. Now, she is thousands of miles apart from me, from us, her friends. Days of greeting each other during Christmas season, of giving gifts, of visiting their house and of waking up at dawn for Simbang Gabi have been replaced with short chats on Facebook and limited phone calls during special occasions.

 

But this article is not about me missing her physical presence and all. And that how we miss her dearly not just during Christmas but all year round is, of course, another story worthy to be told in an another write-up. Oh how I love to do that. An essay on friendship for our barkada with cheesy recalls on traveling down memory lane can be a sort of Christmas present for her.

 

Yes, I know. I’m a bit drifting here.

 

Well anyway, in one of our rare long chats, I asked her about how she has been celebrating her Christmas for the past three years, since she can be my topic in our online journalism article requirement. Oh yes, this was the reason why I’m writing this.

 

First, I asked her how it feels to be celebrating the Yuletide season in a country away from what she has been used to. She said that, at first, it felt weird. The climate, the people around, the different environment, and the adjustment period.

 

But their Christmas celebration, for three years, has still been a merry one.

 

What they have been used to before was still present in their every celebration. Though she misses a lot of things, she said it still feels, somehow, like home.

 

Her mother finds time to cook her favourites like spaghetti, crispy pata, shanghai and macaroni salad. They usually share them with their neighbours who, in exchange, also give what their share of ham, turkey and pie they have prepared for noche buena.

 

Their family tradition of giving gifts has not also faded. They would always put their Christmas presents under their Christmas tree and wait for the Christmas Eve to open the gifts.

 

Because she also now has a work in a perfume company, she managed to buy herself, as a Christmas gift, a car, which she has to pay for four years. She also saves money to give gifts for her siblings and mother. She compared that in Sacramento, she, her co-workers, and her sister always have drinking sessions together after work during Christmas day since it is not a holiday.  They also find time to visit yearly the Parade of Lights in Orangevale, California were they love to take pictures and have an afternoon picnic.

But still, she misses the Philippine culture of celebrating Christmas—a Christmas filled with Christmas carols, videoke with friends (drinking sessions sometimes), the abundance of food and the exchange of gifts. She said she misses them so much. So much that she always wishes to be here even just for Christmas and New Year. To be with other relatives, to hear street kids sing Christmas carols and even share candies packed in ice plastics.

 

Attending simbang gabi, for instance, has been her tradition with our barkada for two years before she left for States. We recalled how we woke up at pre-dawn, without even taking a bath, then heading towards their church ion Cainta, Rizal for the mass. She laughed when she remembered how we all shared with a little puto bumbong while enduring the colds of the Christmas weather because we forget to bring our jackets.

 

But she now lives in Sacramento where she hangs out with a new bunch of people, deals in a different culture and settings in her lifetime.

 

However, our barkada never ceases to keep on touch for even just a single message in Facebook saying how she misses us mean a lot to us. This makes our friendship even stronger amidst the vast ocean and continent that separate us.

 

It was good to reminisce our past memories together, though it seems that we have to wait for a long time, years, or decades perhaps, to experience those again with her, and with our other friends. But still, I know, Christmas, in its deepest essence, is the time to celebrate the birth of the Lord and the joy of having our loved ones, though some are miles apart. Christmas is not about the physical presence of love ones (though it sill counts) nor the distance. Its about spreading and giving love.– Gelyka Ruth R. Dumaraos