Filipinos troop to churches for the pre-dawn Christmas Masses — an old Spanish custom called 'Misa de gallo' (Mass of the rooster) — starting on Dec. 16. (Photo: Jhun Dantes)
Christmas comes early in the Philippines. Filipinos start decorating homes and streets with lights, banners and greetings for the holidays as early as September.
From the first day of December, parties with friends, classmates, colleagues and co-workers are held in offices, bars and almost all possible places. The highlight of the celebration, however, starts on Dec. 16 when people wake up early, wear their best clothes and troop to churches for the first of the nine-day dawn masses.