To others, September is just another month on the calendar. In the Philippines, however, it feels like a huge cultural shift. There are Christmas songs shuffling in people’s playlists. Malls are filled to the brim with holiday decor. Social media is flooded with Jose Mari Chan memes and Mariah Carey GIFs. Even though Christmas is still more than three months away, we’re somehow more than ready for it.
More Than Just a Countdown
There is no record of who or what officially started us celebrating Christmas in September. For reference, the Catholic Church starts the Advent season either in late November or early December.
Yet over time, September 1 became the unofficial starting point for the holiday season. And zooming out, the “-ber” months turned into our own psychological countdown. If you scroll online, people have started asking for gift ideas, reunion locations, and even Noche Buena recipes!
Perhaps this makes sense for a country that loves to celebrate. We’re extra that way.
Shifting with the Times
Celebrating early also grew alongside Filipinos’ lifestyle changes.
By the 1970s, malls were already playing Christmas carols as early as September, helping bring holiday cheer into public spaces. The growing presence of malls, coupled with seasonal promotions and sales, made Christmas more visible and extended the shopping season. Even their operating hours change to accommodate last-minute buyers.
At around the same time, the holidays gradually became “homecoming time” for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). In 1973, the government formalized it via “Homecoming Season,” encouraging them to return home.
This helped reinforce something that remains central to the Filipino Christmas: the anticipation of being together.
An Endless Feeling
While Jose Mari Chan has become the face of Filipino Christmas, his hit “Christmas in Our Hearts” was not released until 1990. Social media ran with it decades later.
Maybe that is why Christmas in September feels natural to Filipinos. Beyond the occasion, we celebrate the countdown, the prep, and every little detail that matters.
Because at the end of the day, the anticipation is just as important as the celebration.
