Giant Lantern Festival 2007

Giant Lantern Festival 2007

http://www.sonotlost.com/?p=243

Giant Lantern Festival

An annual festival held in December (Saturday before Christmas Eve) in the City of San Fernando in the Philippines. The festival features a competition of giant lanterns. Because of the popularity of the festival, the city has been nicknamed the "Christmas Capital of the Philippines".

The first lantern festival was held to honor President Manuel L. Quezon. At that time, Quezon made Arayat his rest area and converted Mount Arayat into a tourist resort. As a show of gratitude to Quezon, the people of San Fernando held a Christmas lantern contest to honor the first family. Quezon himself donated the prize for his lantern contest, which was personally awarded to the winner by First Lady Aurora Aragon Quezon.

In the years that followed, more innovations were introduced to the giant lanterns. Colored plastics replaced traditional papel de hapon. Large steel barrels called rotors also substituted the hand-controlled switches to manipulate the lights. And lanterns have grown in size, approximately 20-feet today, and illuminated by about 3,500 to 5,000 light bulbs.

History

The San Fernando lantern industry evolved from the Giant Lantern Festival of San Fernando. The festival, which is held every December, finds its roots in Bacolor where a much simpler activity was held. Following the transfer of the provincial capital from Bacolor to San Fernando in August 1904, this lantern event followed as well. "Ligligan Parol" was said to have started in San Fernando in the year 1904. But some say that the "Ligligan Parol" did not happen immediately after the transfer and in fact began in 1908.

This predecessor of the modern day Giant Lantern Festival was actually a religious activity which we know today as “lubenas.” The lanterns measured just two feet in diameter, a far cry from the fifteen feet that we see today. These were created in each barrio from bamboo and other locally available materials. During the nine-day novena before Christmas, which coincided with the simbang gabi from December 16 to 24, these paruls were brought around each barrio in procession to their visita. Before the midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, the lanterns were brought to the town church together with the barrio patrons.

This tradition gradually evolved as the lanterns became bigger and the designs more intricate. Later, one big lantern was made for each barrio, which was created through a cooperative effort. Each resident contributed to its construction, from the concept and design, to the materials and labor. In the end, these lanterns became a symbol of unity for the barrios.

It was in the year 1931 that electricity was introduced to the San Fernando lantern, thus sparking the birth of the first Giant Lantern Festival. The added illusion of dancing lights highlighted the bright colors and intricate designs of these Giant Lanterns. At this time, the lights were controlled by individual switches that were turned on and off following the beat of the music. The barangays of Del Pilar, Sta. Lucia and San Jose were among the first barangays to participate in the festival.

Salabat :)

http://lutongpinoy.info/salabat-ginger-brew/

Salabat is Filipino ginger tea that's especially popular during the relatively cool month of December in the Philippines.

SALABAT (GINGER BREW) INGREDIENTS
1/2 kilo ginger
brown sugar

SALABAT (GINGER BREW) PROCEDURES
1. Peel and grate ginger. Use a food processor to puree the ginger until fine. Extract the juice by straining the
ginger through a sieve. (Another way is to wrap the ginger in a cheesecloth and squeeze out the juice.)
2. Add 2 cups brown sugar to every cup of ginger juice. Combine these in a saucepan
3. Over medium heat, cook the mixture until thick, stirring constantly.
4. Reduce heat. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture becomes dry and powder-like. Allow to cool.
5. Use a food processor or a mortar and pestle to pound the mixture into a fine powder. Transfer to a canister or plastic bag.
6. To prepare hot brew, dissolve several teaspoons of instant salabat in a cup of hot water.

Hope you like it (=

Puto Bumbong :)

http://www.pinoyrecipe.net/filipino-puto-bumbong-recipe/

Puto Bumbong, Traditionally made from a special variety of heirloom sticky or glutinous rice called Pirurutong which has a distinctly purple color, soaked in salted water and dried overnight and then poured into bumbong or bamboo tubes and then steamed until done or steam rises out of the bamboo tubes. It is served topped with butter or margarine and shredded coconut mixed with sugar.

Puto bumbong is the most sought after delicacies at Christmas time. During the simbang gabi or the Christmas Eve mass, people would line up to their favorite stalls outside the church just to have a taste of this favorite Pinoy delicacies.

Ingredients:

1 Kilogram malagkit (glutinous) rice, mixed with
125 grams ordinary rice
1 pc mature coconut, shredded
butter or margarine
violet food coloring
banana leaves
water
salt
sugar

How to cook puto bumbong:

• Soak malagkit and ordinary rice mixture in salted water with violet food coloring for 1 hour.

• Let dry overnight by putting inside a flour sack.

• Put something heavy on top to squeeze out water.

• Mixture is ready for cooking the following morning.

• Heat steamer (lansungan) with enough water.

• Put a small amount of rice mixture inside bamboo tubes(bumbong).

• Attached bamboo tubes to lansungan or steamer.

• When steam comes out of bamboo tubes, remove and immediately push out puto bumbong.

• Top with coconut shred and sugar before serving.

Hope you like it (=

Bibingka :)

http://www.pampanguenacafe.us/pampanguena_cafe_menu.htm

http://www.philippinesinsider.com/filipino-cuisine/recipes/enliven-christmas-with-puto-bumbong-and-bibingka/

A traditional filipino rice flour cake with soft , fluffy and slightly sticky texture usually serve near a church during christmas. Nowadays you can find it in any season.

No Filipino Christmas is ever without bibingka and puto bumbong. They are inexorably associated with misa de gallo, the dawn mass on the nine days before Christmas. While they are more common as street food, they are so popular (even among tourists) that even five-star hotels serve them–using the traditional cookware–during the holiday season.

Ingredients:

½ cup melted margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 pcs eggs, beaten
1 can coconut milk (12oz) or 1 ½ fresh coconut milk
1/2 cup fresh milk
2 cups rice flour
4 pcs salted eggs, sliced
Grated coconut

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg until pale yellow. Gradually add sugar until well incorporated. Mix in melted margarine.
Alternately add in flour and milks until well blended
Pour mixture ¾ full into baking dish greased with margarine and lined with wax paper (makes about 12-15 servings on small individual brioche molds).
Add in salted eggs on top and bake for 20 minutes on 300-350F preheated oven or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Brush with margarine and sprinkle sugar and grated coconut if desired.

Hope you like it (=

SIMBANG GABI '09

SIMBANG GABI is one of the longest and most popular among the Filipino traditions in the country. It is when Catholic churches across the nation start to open their doors shortly before the break of dawn to welcome the faithful to the Simbang Gabi mass.

Simbang Gabi or Mass at Dawn is a nine-day novena to the Blessed Mother. The novena begins December 16 as early as 4 in the morning and culminates with the “Misa de Gallo” on Christmas Eve to welcome the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. In some churches, the panuluyan is reenacted showing the effort of Joseph and Mary to find a suitable birthplace.

ORIGIN

Simbang Gabi traces its roots in Mexico when, in 1587, the Pope granted the petition of Fray Diego de Soria, prior of the convent of San Agustin Acolman, to hold Christmas mass outdoors because the Church could not accommodate the huge number of people attending the evening mass.

During the old times, the pre-dawn mass is announced by the ringing of the church bells. In some rural areas, an hour before the start of Simbang Gabi, a brass band plays Christmas music all over the town. It is also believed that parish priests would go far knocking on doors to wake and gather the faithful to attend the misa de gallo. Farmers as well as fishermen wake up early to hear the Gospel before going to their work and ask for the grace of good harvest.

SIMBANG GABI NOW AND THEN

The changing of times does not break the preservation of celebrating Simbang Gabi although it is celebrated in new ways. Still, the tradition of Simbang Gabi continues. Part of it are the colorful lights and lanterns that fill every streets. Beautiful parols are hung in every window. Songs of the season are played everywhere to warm the hearts. Families, friends and even individuals find its way going to the nearest church to attend the nine-day novena. Shortly after the misa de gallo, families gather in their homes to celebrate Noche Buena and feasted on various delicacies like queso de bola, bibingka, puto bungbong, or a drink of salabat or hot chocolate.

SIGNIFICANCE

Simbang Gabi has become one of the most popular traditions in the country. But it is not just a tradition that is celebrated because we need to do so. It is a significant moment not only because it strengthens relationships among family members but also because it is the time where our faith is intensified. This is the time where we mostly feel the presence of the Lord because it is the spiritual preparation for Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. It does not matter if one has the stamina to complete the novena or not, what really matters is what is inside the heart. The blessing does not depend on the number of mass attended, but what is important is the disposition of the person who receives the Lord’s blessing.

CEBU TRIP:)

CEBU.. come visit.. lol.. haha:)

http://plantationbay.com/