Back To The Grind But With A Twist

Okay, people! I know it's the first workday of 2012, but officially the Christmas season doesn't end until the Feast of the Epiphany comes around. Years ago, classes didn't start again until after January 6th which was the feast of the three kings. Of course, since then the church calendar has changed immensely. Nowadays, the feast is celebrated on the first Sunday of January. This year it falls on the 7th. So I guess most catholic schools and universities will resume after that.

Because of this change, people have forgotten that after the revelry to usher in the New Year the holidays go on at least until the first week of January. So, okay, people have to start going back to work which is a downer... Back to the drudgery, then! But!!!! and there's a big but in the sentence, the joy and the spirit of Christmas should go on! And I'm talking not just for the month of January but for the entire 2012!!!!

Let's not kid each other, though... If you're Filipino, chances are you're looking for the next fiesta to come around just so you can add some zing to your doldrums. I know I'm right! Half of the population wishes it was still Christmas, while the other half looks forward to Holy Week! But before that happens, the feast of the Black Nazarene comes around on a Monday, the 9th of January. Manila is virtually paralyzed when this day comes around. The day before the feast day, the holy image is transferred to the Quirino Grandstand and on the day itself, Manila's main thoroughfares are choked with the procession.

*image taken from Manilamap.com courtesy of Ms Rose Marie Mendoza

On the third Sunday of January, the Sto. Nino de Tondo holds its annual celebrations. Much like the ones in Cebu and Aklan, the streets of Tondo come alive with the rythmic beating of drums and shouts of "Hala, Bira!" Those who can afford it, fly off to the Visayas for a little more regional flavor and maybe some time at the beach. Boracay, here we come!

In Binondo, the revelry continues as the year of the Water Dragon comes around early for 2012. The twelve year cycle to usher in the Chinese New Year happens on January 23rd. This early, trinkets of various forms are starting to crowd the curio shops of Binondo, the enclave of the Filipino Chinese descendants of pre- colonial traders. Feng Shui geomancers are making all sorts of predictions to bring in prosperity and good luck for those who ascribe to their synchretic religious beliefs. It is time to buy your tikoy and kiat-kiat and your bagwa. Time to burn the guan po and incinerate paper money whilst popping the firecrackers to ward off bad luck.

I've covered pretty much for now...that's about one festival per week for the first month of 2012... and then Valentine's Day come around... but that's another blog entry!