"Maligayang Pasko Sa Inyong Lahat" means Merry Christmas to Everyone !!!
Christmas in the Philippines, one of two predominantly Catholic countries in Asia, is one of the biggest holidays on calendar. The country has earned the distinction of celebrating the world's longest Christmas season, with Christmas carols being heard as early as September and the season lasting up until Epiphany, a Christian feast day that falls on January 6 which celebrates the revelation of God in human form in the person of Jesus Christ. Traditionally, Christmas Day in the Philippines is ushered in by the nine-day dawn masses that start on December 16. Known as the Misa de Gallo ("Rooster's Mass") in Spanish and in Filipino as Simbang Gabi, or "Night Mass", this novena of Masses is the most important Filipino Christmas tradition. Christmas Eve ("Bisperas ng Pasko") on December 24th is celebrated with the Midnight Mass, and immediately after, the much-anticipated Noche Buena – the traditional Christmas Eve feast. Family members dine together at around 12 midnight on traditional Noche Buena fare, which includes: queso de bola (Spanish: "ball of cheese"), Tsokoláte (a hot chocolate drink) and hamón (Christmas ham). Christmas Day in The Philippines is primarily a family affair. The Misa de Aguinaldo is celebrated on December 25 between sunrise and 10 a.m. and is usually attended by the whole family. In the Roman Catholic and Philippine Independent Churches, it is the main means of celebrating Jesus Christ's birth. [Source: Wikipedia]
