Christmas Parties

New Year's is fast approaching and will be very noisily celebrated in the Philippines, but we've just finished up some late Christmas parties in the past couple days.  Of the seven branches of the church that we visit, two had their parties on the 25th, one on the 27th, and two on the 28th.  We didn't hear about the other two.  We attended three parties and they were very different than the church Christmas parties we know from home.

At home, the tables are set up and decorated beautifully, there's a good dinner or at least a nice dessert, a nice program with special Christmas music performed, and, at the end of the evening, Santa makes an appearance for the kids.  And this definitely takes place before Christmas!

Parties here, in the branches, are more likely scheduled during the day, even at 8:00 a.m.  But we learned pretty quickly that they don't actually start until about two hours later than announced.  They'll begin with a carol sung by everyone there, and a prayer.  Then the branch president will give a little Christmas message, and then the party kicks in!

 

The chairs have been set up all around the room, but no tables.  The back wall of the stage has been
decorated with the name of the event, and streamers hung on the windows.

The activities/program of the party consist of games for all ages and performances by every age group.  There are relay races of all kinds, cookie-eating races, circle games, and dancing games.  We got pulled into a tomato-toss and did pretty well, including Tony diving to catch a short throw.  It ended when I made a really bad underhand throw that hit the ceiling!  (Fortunately, it was a green tomato that didn't splat!)

The performances are mostly dance routines and the music is always loud!  Not everyone has really learned the dance, but no one cares.  I think they're dances that they've seen on TV music videos.  Every age group is expected to have something prepared, and there are lots of laughs.

 Everyone has a great time, and if things aren't wild enough, someone will throw out a handful or two of candy, and all the kids scramble!  

This all goes on for a couple hours, with lots of loud pop music, until it's time to eat.  Some parties are potluck, some are bring-your-own-rice and the church provides the ulam - - whatever goes on top.  One branch had roasted a whole pig for their party.  All the food was in a side room and Tony went in to take pictures of the pig, which was something new to us.  The woman who was setting things up offered to turn the table so he could get a better angle.  Unfortunately, the legs on one end of the table weren't secure, the table went down, and the whole pig went sliding onto the floor!  They scrambled to get it back onto the table, and no one was the wiser.  (Don't tell anyone!)

These girls had seen me come in with a bowl of star-shaped sugar cookies and immediately became my best friends.

Lots of other cuties there . . .

As things are beginning to wind down, or you think they are, the karaoke begins.  Videoke, they call it here, or more like 'vidjokie.'  Everybody loves it!  So, while some are sweeping up candy wrappers and mopping up orange pop spills, some are singing their favorite popular songs, which, of course, are amplified.  It's funny - - babies can sleep through it.  Older people don't seem to mind it.  Maybe they're all deaf from so much exposure!

Anyway, we went to three parties like that, in about thirty hours' time.  It was a lot of fun, really, and great to see these people in their party mode, but it was pretty good to get outside afterward and hear the quiet!  We're told that New Year's is a much bigger celebration here than Christmas, and I'm thinking that's probably true, or at least, noisier.  As I write this, on December 30, late afternoon, I've been hearing a street party down the block, going on for a couple hours already.  We're told it'll go on until 4 a.m.  And that's just the music - - no fireworks yet!

So . . . Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Philippines!  : )