Filipino Christmas is never complete without the Christmas lantern or ‘parol’. On December 3, the ubiquitous parol took centre stage in the parol-making contest in Winnipeg, in preparation for the Paskong Pinoy in Canada on December 17.
Made from different materials such as bamboo, plastic, shells, beads, cloth and paper, parols of different sizes adorned the main floor of the McPhillips Nissan vehicle dealership where the contest was held.
This is the very first Paskong Pinoy in Canada event in Winnipeg, according to organizer Lourdes Federis.
“Paskong Pinoy is patterned after the Toronto Paskuhan Village, which is already on its fifth year. Paskong Pinoy offers the Filipino-Canadian community the best of Philippine Christmas traditions by capturing the sights, tastes, smells and sounds of the season,” Federis said.
On December 17, the RBC Convention Centre in downtown Winnipeg will be transformed into a Christmas Village, complete with a Nativity Scene, parols, Santa and more. Festivities start at 9:00 a.m. with a Christmas mass, sponsored by the St. Peter’s Catholic Church and International Worship Centre.
There will be a Parol Parade, cake decorating, caroling workshops, games, food, music and entertainment by local artists. Newcomers welcome pack and raffle prizes will be given out. Everyone is welcome.
Paskong Pinoy in Canada will be open from 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. and is in support of ANCOP (Answering the Call of the Poor) Canada, a non-profit organization.
Mary Ann Reyes-Mandap has over three decades of experience in journalism, public relations and corporate communications work, and was a staff member and writer for Mr. & Ms. Magazine, Malaya, and Free Press in the Philippines. While living in San Francisco in 2003-2007, she worked as Associate Editor of Philippine News, the oldest and most widely circulated Filipino newspaper in the United States, and as Editor of the Filipino Insider Magazine. In Vancouver, she is associate editor of Dahong Pilipino and had worked as community news editor of Philippine Canadian Inquirer.
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