In the Philippines, Christmas arrives in September, and that’s obvious: People start decorating just about every building in every town with “parols,” the star-shaped lanterns that symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, which guided the Three Kings to baby Jesus’ manger.

Before the advent of electric lights, worshippers carried parols made with candles to illuminate the path to Simbang Gabi, Yuletide masses held before dawn on the nine consecutive days before Christmas. Those church services were initiated mainly for farmers who wanted to attend Mass early so they could head to the fields and finish as much work as they could before the weather got too hot.

When they returned home from Mass, people hung their parols outside their homes. In time the lanterns evolved into elaborate works of art — ubiquitous Christmas ornaments that represent the triumph of hope and faith over pessimism and despair. The parol is as important to Filipinos’ celebration of Christmas as the Christmas tree is in America.

“Throughout the holiday season, wherever you go in the Philippines, you see parols; they’re at houses, schools, shops, churches and office buildings,” said Arceli Rebollido, programs director of the Filipino Community Center (FilCom; see sidebar), who was born and raised in Sarrat in Ilocos Norte province. “Towns in every province have competitions to see who can make the most beautiful, colorful parols.”

One of the highlights of FilCom’s annual Pasko sa FilCom (Christmas at FilCom) is the Parol Contest. Displaying participants’ creativity and resourcefulness, designs for entries have incorporated plants, cotton balls, cellophane and recyclables such as used clothing and plastic bags. Judges consider originality, workmanship, symbolism and the use of eco-friendly materials when they select the winners.

“Anyone of any age can enter the contest,” said Rebollido, who oversees planning for Pasko sa FilCom. “If you’re not confident enough about your artistic ability to do that, you can make small parols from colored paper. All of the activities and demonstrations at Pasko sa FilCom are intended to help people learn about and experience Filipino culture and customs.”

Paskong Pinoy: Pinakamasaya Kaya Sama Na! (Filipino Christmas: The Happiest So Join In!) is the theme of this year’s 10th annual celebration. As with past events, it will show what Christmas in the Philippines is like, complete with traditional music, arts, games and food.

The Choral Competition features choirs comprising 15 to 30 singers who are, for example, children, neighbors, work colleagues or members of church or community groups.

Each choir is allowed five to 10 minutes to perform a carol or a medley of carols in any language and either a cappella or with musical accompaniment. The judging categories are performance (among the criteria are originality, voice projection and phrasing/breathing patterns), musicianship (for instance, harmony, intonation and tempo/beat) and stage presence (costume, facial expression, impact on the audience and so forth).

In 2009 Rebollido entered the competition with a group of friends. Dressed in traditional attire — “barong Tagalog” (embroidered long-sleeve shirts) for the men and “baro’t saya” (embroidered blouses and long cotton skirts) for the ladies — they complemented their renditions of “Jingle Bells” and “Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit” (Christmas Is Here) with lively choreography.

“We rehearsed at least twice a week after work for six weeks,” Rebollido said. “Sometimes our rehearsals ended at midnight, and we’d go to Zippy’s afterward for a very late dinner. It was a great experience — like being part of a family. Our hard work paid off because we won first place that year!”

A KRISMAS (sic) Karaoke Contest (the first 10 people who sign up at Pasko sa FilCom will have the opportunity to compete) and a Tabletop Christmas Tree Contest (entries are no more than 2 feet tall from the base to the top) will also be part of the festivities.

Children will enjoy playing “pabitin,” a game that tests their concentration and reaction time. Bags suspended from the ceiling by FilCom’s entrance contain goodies such as coins, small toys, candy and snacks. The bags will be lowered and raised quickly, and the kids must act fast to grab a prize.

Don’t miss the preparations and tastings of Filipino Christmas food; one favorite is “tupig,” glutinous rice and coconut strips wrapped in banana leaves and cooked over charcoal. Another popular holiday treat is “nilupak,” made of mashed cassava and plantains or sweet potatoes, grated coconut, condensed milk and butter.

“Christmas is the longest and most festive holiday in the Philippines; it lasts for more than three months,” Rebollido said. “Pasko sa FilCom goes on for just four hours, but it’s filled with all the sights, sounds and smells that you would find if you were in the Philippines during that time of the year. We invite everyone to come and share the fun, joy and excitement with us.”

About FilCom

Set on two acres beside the old Oahu Sugar Mill in Waipahu, the three-story, 50,000-square-foot Filipino Community Center, commonly known as FilCom, is the largest such facility outside the Philippines. The Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii proposed plans for the 501(c)(3) nonprofit center in 1991 to provide social, economic and education services and to promote and perpetuate Filipino culture and customs in Hawaii.

Thanks to generous donations from foundations, trusts, private corporations and government entities, FilCom opened in June 2002, nearly a century after the first Filipino immigrants sailed to Hawaii aboard the SS Doric in 1906. The 2010 census reported 197,497 Americans of Filipino ancestry were living in the islands, which is 14.5 percent of the state’s population and the largest number of Filipinos in the United States. Filipinos have maintained an important presence in Hawaii, serving in leadership roles in culture, entertainment, education, business and politics.

FilCom’s logo shows three waves merging together. “They depict the close connection between Hawaii and the Philippines,” Programs Director Arceli Rebollido said. “They also stand for strength and unity — the importance of working together so we can all move forward.”

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.