Noche Buena

Filipinos celebrate Noche Buena -

Did you know that Filipinos celebrate Noche Buena before we shared our local event with you?!

Long associated with the Latinx community, Filipinos are especially devoted to celebrating the exuberance of this holiday in their own special ways, too!

Though the holiday came to the Philippines with Spanish colonization and Christianization, Filipinos have since taken the holiday and made it their own. Unlike Americans who celebrate Christmas day on the 25th, Filipinos start preparing festivities on the 24th and take the holiday so seriously that the meal is served as the clock strikes Midnight on the 25th (or after midnight mass in more religious households)!

But still, the joy begins far before the night of Christ’s birth.

Filipinos start playing Christmas music and decorating in the months ending in -er also known as the “brrrrrrr” months!

Families of all classes celebrate with their own sense of rejoicing within the community.

The time is shared in jubilance throughout the entire country as a time to be grateful for what we have and those we love.

As the creativity for the holiday season gets started, Filipinos love elaborate displays of lights, ornaments, garlands, caroling, or anything that allows us to share our talents in celebration. The Parol - a star-shaped lantern often homemade - hangs in the window of homes while local street vendors even sell them in their stands as the season gets underway. These are unique to Filipino decoration and celebration!

Noche Buena is about sharing the few moments we have together in the spirit of love and community.

This holiday strengthens the community bonds that support the culture as a whole. No matter the issues we face during the year, we take the time to be together. With so many Filipinos living overseas or beyond the traditions they have known back home, Gatâ (that's us!) has made the effort to bring this spirit to our home made in New Orleans.

With y’all as our community, our friends, and our family, we are here to spread this same spirit that carries so many into the New Year and beyond. Let’s strengthen our bonds over the tasty Filipino foods I want to share and build a stronger community for it no matter what we face in the years to come.

Let us know what Noche Buena or the holiday season means to you at gata@eatfilipinofood.com!