Filipinos are said to celebrate Christmas the longest. The singing of Christmas carols starts as early as the first day of September and colorful decorations adorn homes and buildings by Nov. 3, after All Souls' Day.
Starting Dec. 16, Filipinos attend pre-dawn Masses called Misa de Gallo or the Mass of the Rooster to usher in formal Christmas celebrations.
Christmas celebrations in this predominantly Catholic country continue until the first Sunday in January when Epiphany or the Feast of the Three Kings is celebrated.
Christmas tradition in the country is highly influenced by the Spanish and Portuguese who brought Christianity to the islands in the 1500s.