Christmas Day

Christmas Day in the Philippines is celebrated annually on December 25 and, in 2026, falls on a Friday. It is one of the country’s most important public holidays and the centerpiece of an exceptionally long Christmas season, which commonly begins in September and continues into January. The holiday commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and has particular significance in the Philippines, Asia’s largest predominantly Roman Catholic nation, although Christmas is also widely observed by Filipino Christians of other denominations and by many families as a cultural and national celebration.

Christian Christmas traditions were introduced and institutionalized during the Spanish colonial period beginning in the sixteenth century. Over time, Catholic observances blended with Filipino family customs, Hispanic devotional practices, and later American-influenced gift-giving and popular culture. This historical development produced distinctive traditions such as Simbang Gabi, the nine-day series of dawn or evening Masses held from December 16 to 24, and the parol, a star-shaped lantern representing the Star of Bethlehem. Filipino Christmas culture is strongly associated with family reunions, generosity, religious devotion, hospitality, and remembrance of relatives and friends, including those working or living overseas.

Christmas Day is typically marked by church attendance, family visits, gift-giving, and extended reunions after the Christmas Eve celebration known as Noche Buena. Many households gather around a festive meal featuring Filipino and Spanish-influenced dishes such as glazed ham, queso de bola, lechon, pancit, lumpia, fruit salad, and rice cakes. Seasonal specialties associated with the wider Christmas period include bibingka and puto bumbong, which are traditionally sold near churches after Simbang Gabi. Families may also display a belén or Nativity scene, hang a parol outside the home, exchange gifts, and welcome relatives with abundant food.

Children often receive aguinaldo, a Christmas gift or cash traditionally given by parents, godparents, grandparents, and older relatives. Caroling, community programs, workplace parties, charity activities, and reunions are common throughout the season, while many Filipinos use the holiday to reconnect with family members returning from abroad. Typical greetings include “Maligayang Pasko!” in Filipino and “Merry Christmas!” in English; people may also say “Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!” meaning “Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.”