This is our traditional Filipino Christmas decor, Christmas Parol or Christmas lantern - before made of bamboo sticks interconnected to form a simple 5-point star with colored paper or foil to symbolize Star of Bethlehem.

As technology and ingenuity improved, it has evolved into electronic powered lanterns, usually made of Capiz shells with wonderful flickering light display. This one I got years ago, in 1998, lucky enough to survive its packaging at the airports, and still functions beautifully up to now.



Oh I wish I can buy newer designs too, they now use LED bulbs, more power efficient..but then again, just have to wait and see if I can get one in the near future when I visit home, designs back home are more elaborate and fun!

Thanks Lynn, I am lucky that my Children and Grandchildren all live close.
Tarev, What beautiful tables, thanks so much for posting them.

I decorated the mantle and put up my Christmas village up yesterday, Got the tree put together. (yes its an artificial one )

Decorated the tree today., I need total quiet and the weekend has too many feet and voices in the way.,.

Was gonna post pics............

Mantle:






Christmas Village:





My tree:

Tarev, what a beautiful piece!

Thanks Hetty!

Tarev, can you take a photo at night with it lit? How beautiful it is. I would love to see it aglow with lights.

CeCe, you are way ahead of me in the decorating department. I love you tree.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Sandsea2/Janice: Your windows look lovely with the candlelight!

ValleyLynn/Lynn: Your women's brunch sounds like something my youngest sister is involved in with her church. It sounds like a wonderful and fun experience with all of the tables decorated differently.

tarev: Your photo's are all wonderful and I love your traditional Filipino Christmas Star ... that is really beautiful!

Cherie: Your decorations are lovely, as is your Christmas Tree!

I said I wasn't going to decorate this year. I just moved a couple of weeks ago and I've been so busy with cleaning, painting and trying to get settled that I didn't even want to think about holiday decorations but after visiting my best friend's house this past weekend and seeing how beautiful their tree and decorations are I came home and began digging through boxes and bins in my garage ...

I've been collecting Snowmen for years (I should say Snow People because there are snow men, women and children and I've got them all over the house! I haven't worked in almost twenty years but I have a few mini trees that I used to set up in my office on file cabinets, desk and credenza etc. so I found them and put three in one of the bathrooms. I had two of those skinny trees for sitting on either side of the garage but decided to decorate them and have one in my bedroom and one in the dining room. The former owner of my house left an artificial weeping ficus tree behind and I was going to put it out on the curb but it was still in the garage so I dragged it in and strung it with lights and hung ornaments on it too! This house is circa 1983 and has a horrible mirrored wall in the entry area near the dining room. It's going to be a pain to remove it but it's in my plan for the not too distant future! For the time being I'm thinking of getting a large Christmas tree and placing it in front of the mirrored wall. I think it would be really pretty with the lights magnified in the mirror!

Although I have no children or grandchildren, family and friends will be popping in and out over the holidays and my snow people usually bring a few smiles! These aren't great pictures ... it's dark and my flash is acting up ... not working some of the time but these give you an idea of how much I love snowmen. I still have four large rubbermaid storage bins in the garage that I haven't opened yet and I know they contain tree lights, ornaments and more ... you guessed it, Snowmen!

Oh Lin your collection is so much fun. It brings a smile to my face as I click on each photo to study the snowmen. How cheerful it all looks.

Loved seeing everyone's photos--thank you for sharing. Awesome to see everyone's decorations and collections.

I've really struggled with trying to get the house decorated this year....it's usually the first thing I do after Thanksgiving. But, life can interrupt sometimes. My mom has been ill (feeling better now, finally) and my DH is out of town. I finally finished our big tree this past weekend, and got most of the other rooms finished. I still feel really behind, but my shopping is complete except for 1 gift, and some of my baking is done.

One of the things I enjoy most is shopping for a child we sponsor for Christmas. A group of us at work partner with a social worker in one of the neighboring towns, and this year our group is sponsoring 10 children to give them each a fabulous Christmas. Most of these children need the absolute basics--coats, boots, and clothes, but we also try to buy them toys and some things they are interested in (sports, hobbies, etc). It's so fun....my best friend and I always sponsor 1 child--this year it was an 11 year old girl. She got a ton of clothes, a coat, boots, shoes, some games, a pre-paid cellphone (her biggest wish), some art supplies, and some girly things like jewelry, lotions, etc. It's one of the highlights of the season for me. Our family is so blessed to not have any "needs", so I am grateful to be able to help others.

Next up on the agenda: planning the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day menus, and finalizing the cookie selection. We take our eating very seriously here

Hi Lynn, here's a video of the Christmas lantern in action..have included my little Christmas tree made of Capiz shell too Happy viewing!

http://youtu.be/Z0jkiz2k-2A

Tarev, thank you so much for the Christmas light show. I learned something new tonight about shells. : )
I just read what Capiz shell are. They are a type of oyster, with a very think translucent, almost flat shell. How beautiful it makes the light that shines through them.

Thanks, Lin!
Love your wonderfully festive snowman collection displays!

Tarev, oh how beautiful. I love that Christmas lantern. I know I am going to badger my hubby till he finds me one...... Love the C, shell tree as well.

Tarev, what gorgeous tables and displays!

WQW! Thanks for all of the wonderful pictures. Such creativity!

We have most of the Christmas letters (in place of cards) mailed, a few lights and wreaths up outside, and have been busy with Santa duties. My hubby is our official town Santa. He has an elf who appears with him. She is wonderful with children and also handles his schedule, coordinating it with her working hours. We just reserve almost the whole month for Santa since my hubby is retired. I go along, sometimes dressed as Mrs Santa. It's a lot of fun and there are opportunities to pray with some of the people for needs that are out of Santa's capabilities!

A cookie exchange would be a wonderful thing!

Ahhhh, more wonderful memories. I particularly love that you have the opportunity to pray with some of them. Prayer is such a powerful thing.

Today is very cold (25°F) and the ground is frozen. Maybe it's time to put up the Christmas decorations. : )

Love your snowman collection too Lin! Love to see the Christmas village you have there Cherie! I have yet to bring out mine..and I wish I have the space to expand the village like yours!

For those who want to see more Capiz Parols, I found this website : www.pangbahay.com (literally means for the house.com ) They have a nice selection, and clicking on more info of each parol shows a night time video how the parol light display shows. I just wish I have the dough to buy a newer one They have a selection too of plastic parol, that is how the 5-point star originally looked like before. Somehow, seeing how it looked before brings a sense of nostalgia. I remember we used to have school projects as December nears, so we can create our own parol.

I found this video on the net, showing the grand prize winner last year of the lantern festival in the Phil. Just something to further jumpstart the Christmas decorating and preparations we are all having in our own locales In the Phil, the expertise in making this huge and colorful lanterns are in the province of Pampanga. Happy viewing to all!

http://youtu.be/aY_EXYVZ_Hc