Filipino Christmas Traditions –
A Time of Giving

On Thanksgiving, Filipino American families come together to celebrate and give thanks. It is also the start of the Christmas holiday season in the U.S., the happiest and most important time of year for Filipinos all over the world. In the Philippines, this is the time of celebrations and when family members from overseas come home.

Christmas is the season of giving, and Filipinos embrace this with enthusiasm. The Tagalog word for gift is regalo (originally from the Spanish), but Filipinos have a special word for “Christmas gift”, pamasko, which are traditionally received on Christmas morning. In this issue we will share some of the traditional gift giving customs that make Filipino Christmases so special.

We are pleased to introduce our new RemitHome Gift Shop, the only place online to get quality merchandise for delivery in the Philippines! Order by December 17, 2011, for delivery by Christmas.

 Gift Giving – the Filipino Way

Tips on Gift Giving

• As with many Asian cultures, it is customary to bring a gift when you are invited to a Filipino home for dinner. Don’t go to a party empty handed! Flowers (avoid lilies and chrysanthemums) or sweets are always appreciated. But avoid bringing alcohol or heavier foods as these gifts may imply that the hospitality is inadequate.
• Gifts should be beautifully wrapped. It is important to pay attention to presentation as it is a direct reflection of the amount of thought and time that went into the gift. Since there are no color restrictions, the more festive, the better.
• Gifts should not be opened when received. Outside the family circle, Filipinos consider gift-giving to be a private affair.

Filipino Gift Terms

• Aginaldo refers to a Christmas gift, usually money in the form of fresh peso bills in envelopes. It comes from the Spanish aguinaldo, meaning a Christmas bonus. Filipino children who visit their older relatives during Christmas usually receive aginaldo.
• Pasalubong, or a traditional homecoming gift, is a Tagalog word literally meaning “[something] meant for you when you welcome me back.” Pasalubong can be any gift or souvenir brought for family, loved ones, or friends after being away for a period of time. It can be a small token or an expensive gift. One gives pasalubong when she comes back from abroad, either after being away for long time to work, or a short pleasure or business trip, or even simply after travelling around the country for a vacation.
• Monito Monita or Kris Kringle is a Filipino Christmas game and a popular way to celebrate Christmas gift giving usually done among groups of friends, classmates or officemates. It is the Filipino version of Secret Santa and is very popular in the Philippines as well as in many Filipino communities around the world. Names are drawn and care is taken to keep the gift giver’s identity a secret.
  
  The rules are simple: You have to give your Monito/Monita a small gift, the frequency depending on the rules the group has agreed to. Usually there are a series of small gifts given weekly following specific themes leading up to a larger gift at the main event, usually a Christmas party. Price ranges and themes are agreed upon in advance.
  
  The gift themes bring out the creativity and fun. Most groups choose a weekly theme, such as something sweet, something hard, something wet, something round, etc. Usually the secret giver is revealed on the last day of the game, when the most special gift is given.

 Ask remithome: RemitHome Gift Shop

Question: I see that you have links to RemitHome Gift Shop on the remithome website (www.remithome.com). What is RemitHome Gift Shop and how is it related to your remittance service?

Answer: We have opened RemitHome Gift Shop just in time for Christmas to give our customers a way to send quality gifts to their loved ones in the Philippines. Order gifts by December 17, 2011, to arrive by Christmas.

RemitHome Gift Shop Benefits

• High-quality gifts from Rustan’s, the prestigious Philippine department store known for its long tradition of quality and excellence – RemitHome Gift Shop is the ONLY place you can buy Rustan’s merchandise online for delivery in the Philippines.
• Payments processed through Amazon.com – This means that you can use any form of payment accepted by Amazon.com, including credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, and JCB), Gift Cards, and your checking account.
• Free Shipping anywhere in the Philippines – You pay only the price shown. This includes include all taxes and door-to-door delivery of your gift anywhere in the Philippines, from Luzon to the Visayas to Mindanao.

Why the RemitHome Gift Shop?

remithome has been providing U.S. to Philippines online remittance services to the Philippines for eight years. During this time, customers have repeatedly asked us whether we could also help them send gifts to their loved ones in the Philippines, since for special occasions it is not enough to just send money.

We are happy to finally be able to offer you a quick and easy way to send quality gifts to your loved ones in the Philippines. Please visit RemitHome Gift Shop and see what we have to offer!