Tuloy Pa Rin Ang Pasko: 5 Ideas to Make Christmas Quarantine Unforgettable

Christmas celebrations might not be the same as before, but it can still be meaningful and joyful with loved ones. Here are five ideas to get your household doing the timeless Christmas activities in the safety and comfort of your home.  

1. Arrange a Christmas carol-eoke.

We, Pinoys, are very musical.  We love to sing and perform (who cares whether we’re in tune or not?). Arrange a Christmas videoke and spread the cheer belting out holiday songs.  If you don’t have a videoke system, YouTube is a convenient alternative.  Search for Pinoy classics like Kumukutikutitap, Pasko na Sinta ko and Christmas in our Hearts. And remember, immediate family only. DOH discourages large videoke parties.

2. Create your own parol.

Did your kids miss making the traditional parol in their HELE class this year?  They still can, by using cardboard, glue, and recycled paper from old newspapers, magazines, or notebooks from the previous school year.  Here’s a link to a 2-minute tutorial of making a traditional parol - link.

3. Try DIY Christmas kakanin staples.

Partner your online Christmas mass with the traditional “kakanin” of the holidays – bibingka and puto bumbong.  There are now several bibingka mixes in the grocery which are cooked using the rice cooker. Check out these easy how-to’s in making these via these links:

- Bibingka: link

- Puto Bumbong: link

4. Watch MMFF reruns.

Prepare the popcorn and dim the lights! It’s the season for ALL PINOY movies.  Because our cinemas are closed, now is the time to reminisce Metro Manila Film Festival favorites at home.  Do you remember Miracle in Cell #7, Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles, Rainbow’s Sunset, Tanging Yaman, and the series of Shake, Rattle, and Roll movies? Stream these movies on iFlix!

5. Give your monito-monita a letter of thanksgiving.

We may miss giving and receiving something hairy, something smelly, and something crazy -- items in our usual Kris Kringle but this year is an opportunity to send a THANK YOU note to our friends and family whom we have not seen in person for months now.  Despite the pandemic, each of us has something to be grateful for, and we might as well express that gratitude to those who we care for. 

The usual saying “there’s no place like home” now holds a truer meaning of staying at home, keeping safe, and spending the most wonderful time of the year with the ones you love. Maligayang Pasko from InLife!