| For most of us brought up in Western
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| | eat any time, and from anywhere. I knew,
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| societies, Christmas long ago became a
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| | too, that the family whose food I ate for
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| commercial extravaganza. Over recent
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| | lunch, was even poorer than that of my
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| decades the commercial impetus has
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| | friend. That family would be going hungry
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| intensified, with Christmas coming to the
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| | that evening, which made me appreciate
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| shops earlier and earlier, until now it
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| | the hospitality so much I can never
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| arrives in full frontal mode, as soon as
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| | forget it.When it comes to the approach
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| the kids go back to school after the
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| | to Christmas, Filipinos lap it all up.
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| summer holidays.Each decade that has
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| | They have a festive fun loving spirit
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| passed since the 1950's has seen bigger,
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| | anyway, so Christmas is just another
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| brighter and more extravagant Christmas
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| | excuse. As in the UK, the start of
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| decorations, both indoors and outdoors.
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| | September starts the countdown to
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| For those who love Christmas lights and
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| | Christmas Day, in the stores and on TV.
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| other decor, that's great, but there's
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| | On September 1 here I was woken at 5am by
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| another side to the story. Decorating the
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| | some distant, but rather loud, music.
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| home has become an obligation, which for
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| | Once I had come to my senses, I realised
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| the very poor can be something of a
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| | it was Christmas music. I assumed then it
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| problem, as neighbours and friends try to
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| | was an individual with a new CD, and that
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| outdo each other.Perhaps the greater
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| | it would be a one off. However, I was
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| problem, though, can be with Christmas
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| | wrong. It is now mid November as I write
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| gifts. Children have developed greater
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| | this, and that music (yes, exactly the
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| and greater expectations over the years,
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| | same) is played every day. Now, I realise
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| and this brings with it pressures on
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| | it is not an individual at all, but
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| adults, and parents in particular, to
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| | coming from a nearby military base. Each
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| pile as many gifts as possible under the
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| | morning, a bugle blasts out the First
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| Christmas tree, whether they can afford
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| | Post, and then the Christmas music is
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| it or not. Often, poorer families cannot
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| | switched on.Despite the proliferation of
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| afford it, and the financial pressures,
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| | Christmas advertising, and music,
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| fed by the social pressures, mount as
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| | Filipinos do not seem to succumb to any
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| Christmas Day nears. All these pressures
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| | pressure to spend too much money over
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| are fueled, of course, by intense
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| | Christmas. There is no expectation of any
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| advertising from September through to
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| | gift, and I am sure many children never
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| December 25. It is little wonder that the
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| | get an Xmas gift in there lives. Yet,
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| days after Christmas are a peak time for
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| | people make the most of Christmas in
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| family break ups.Due to the fact that
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| | their own way, and it is an important
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| most Western children expect some
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| | family time. The Christianity of the
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| wonderful Christmas gifts, it is no
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| | Philippines is probably far stronger than
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| surprise to many when they get them.
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| | any Western country, so the religious
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| Sadly, many will never learn to fully
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| | significance of Christmas is still
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| appreciate the acts of giving and
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| | paramount.The combination of Filipino
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| receiving gifts. Once a gift becomes a
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| | generosity, and lack of expectation of a
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| routine obligation, it is no longer a
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| | Christmas gift, led me to write a
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| gift, but a token. True generosity cannot
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| | Christmas story last year. I have learnt
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| be found in such tokens.Hopefully, many
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| | much about generosity and kindliness
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| poor and rich families will have a
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| | since I came here, and for that I have
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| meaningful and enjoyable Christmas in the
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| | the Filipino nature to thank. In a way,
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| UK, where I come from, and in the US.
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| | the story was a way of encapsulating what
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| Poor families in particular will find the
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| | I had learnt, and to admit that Western
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| financial pressures strongest, but it may
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| | adults can learn an awful lot, even from
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| well be that the poorer children will be
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| | a Filipino child. The story, aimed at
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| the more appreciative.Maybe some rich
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| | adults and older children, tells of a 7
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| families will experience the fate of a
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| | year old girl, living in a nipa hut on
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| birthday gift to a teenage friend of my
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| | the edge of the Palawan rain forest, who
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| son in England. On receiving a top of the
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| | has never had a Christmas gift before;
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| range hi-fi system, probably worth about
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| | never expected one, and never complained.
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| $3000, as a gift, he trashed it a week
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| | When she finally does receive a gift, one
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| later, simply because he was bored. I
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| | that she knows with certainty came from
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| suspect it is less likely that a teenager
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| | Santa Claus, she is faced with what most
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| from a poor family would do the
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| | Western children would find as a terrible
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| same.Christmas in the Philippines Since
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| | dilemma. The action she took expresses
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| 2000, all my Christmases have been spent
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| | the true spirit of Christmas and true
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| here in the Philippines. After moving
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| | generosity, in typical Filipino
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| here, I soon found what true poverty was,
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| | fashion.One thing Filipinos do splash out
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| and that, despite all the moans, there is
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| | their sparse cash on is Christmas
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| no real poverty in the UK. The "poor" of
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| | decorations, especially Christmas lights.
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| the UK and US would pass as rich in the
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| | It seems even the poorest of homes will
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| Philippines.My life has been enriched in
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| | try to spread a bit of Christmas cheer
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| many ways through spending 6 years here,
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| | with lights from November onwards, and
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| and getting to understand Filipinos and
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| | very nice they look too. Puerto Princesa,
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| their way of life. I have been touched by
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| | where we live, is already preparing for
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| the generosity of the very poor, having
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| | its Christmas display and events this
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| visited many ordinary, spartan homes of
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| | year. We cannot wait to see what will be
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| the desperately poor. For example, one
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| | added to the wonderful displays of last
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| morning I paid a visit to the mother of a
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| | December. Poor or not, gifts or not,
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| friend. She had no food in the home, and
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| | Christmas has its own tropical magic in
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| I knew the family were often short of
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| | the Philippines.Make the most of
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| food and went hungry. Unbeknown to me,
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| | Christmas this year with Giant Outdoor
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| though, a neighbour was preparing what
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| | Christmas Decorations and Nativity
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| little food her family had to ensure that
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| | Scenes. Have a wonderful Christmas and a
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| I had lunch, despite the fact that they
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| | very prosperous New Year.
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| knew I could go and buy what I wanted to
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