Christmas only comes once a year, and Filipinos have a knack for making this season extra special. While establishments have over-the-top holiday displays, homes are spruced up for an extraordinary holiday “hindi magpapatalo ang Pinoy” feel.
For many, it starts with the Christmas tree. When I was a kid, my mom had a grand time decorating our tree with ornaments like baubles, ribbons, colorful leaves, and poinsettias, then topped it off with a gold star. But over the years, Filipinos have also started experimenting with their Christmas tree decorations. We asked our readers what their trees look like, and we were not surprised that many did not stick to a traditional ‘look.’
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These readers had fun with their Christmas trees!
1. Decorate it with candy.
Mom Winchelle Napao piqued our curiosity with her ‘Candyland’-inspired tree. Turns out, other moms had the same idea!
Aside from the usual balls and ribbons, mom Liza Falqueza added donuts to her tree for a dash of sweetness!PHOTO BY Liza FalquezaADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
Got a sweet tooth? Vanessa Basilio-Liwanag hung candy canes, cupcakes, donuts and candy wrappers on her tree.PHOTO BY Vanessa Basilio-Liwanag
Mom Jessica Chano shares that she was inspired by a shopping mall’s Christmas tree, but decided to take the DIY route to save on decorations.PHOTO BY Jessica ChanoCONTINUE READING BELOWRecommended VideosWhat other parents are reading
2. Make it a ‘super’ tree!
We were wowed by this Marvel-inspired tree!PHOTO BY Charline PonceCharline Ponce, a mom of two and a public school teacher, came up with the idea of a superhero-themed tree because her 4-year-old son said he wanted to wear a superhero costume on Christmas day.
Charline shares she sewed the stockings herself while she was recovering from her C-section.PHOTO BY Charline PonceADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW3. Add a touch of ‘unicorn.’
There’s no escaping the unicorn trend — it’s even on our trees!PHOTO BY Sha GarciaMom Sha Garcia’s tree may be small in size, but it’s big on the cuteness factor! That pink, spiral horn topper cinches the whole look!
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4. Stuff the tree with toys.
Can you count how many toys are on this tree?PHOTO BY Marilou de LeonADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWAside from the candies, parents also used another object as décor, ones that are easy enough to access — their children’s stuffed toys!
Mom Vina Trinidad-Ricohermoso says that she used her kids’ old toys as decoration. She adds, “Yan na rin ang gifts nila sa Christmas!”PHOTO BY Vina Trinidad-Ricohermoso
This mom may have decorated her tree with a more traditional look, but those Winnie the Pooh stuffed toys dressed up as Santa definitely caught our eyes. Adorable!PHOTO BY Ishii MaharlikaADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
We’re sure this tree is kid-approved! It has Pokémon balls, Rilakkuma, and Hello Kitty. (Can you also spot Ultraman?) And guess who’s the tree topper — Patrick Star, of course.PHOTO BY Mei Suarez-Mayor
It’s a Hello Kitty Christmas! Mom Marichel Curiano is obviously a fan — she has glass and kitchenware, figurines and stuffed toys of the cartoon character, so putting it on three was an obvious choice.PHOTO BY Marichel CurianoADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWWhat other parents are reading
5. Make it into a ‘money tree.’
The highest denomination deserves to be on top!PHOTO BY Diana ReyesWhy spend money on decorations when you can just use the bills as trimmings? For mom Diana Reyes, it’s a way of ensuring a prosperous new year. “Ito ay para sa masaganang pamumuhay sa darating na 2019,” she tells Smart Parenting.
6. Display your family photos!
Proof that black and white can be festive!PHOTO BY Rachelle DegomaADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWIf you own instant cameras, you can make decorations out of the film prints, like what mom Rachelle Degoma did. Here’s an idea: take photos of this year’s Christmas celebration and put it up on the tree next year. Continue it in succeeding years as a Christmas tradition! It will be fun to look back at those photos 10 years from now!
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Our Smart Parenting moms are so creative, not to mention funny, so here are two bonus photos that made us LOL.
Instead of a Christmas tree, use real branches for a more authentic experience! Vanessa Berna-San Gabriel says this was “just for fun” but we think it looks great!PHOTO BY Vanessa Berna-San Gabriel
We know how messy toddlers can get, so for mommy’s peace of mind, just imagine a tree for Christmas! Mom Jessica Smith says, “This is my toddler-proof Christmas tree, since I have a 2-year-old boy that climbs everywhere!”PHOTO BY Jessica SmithADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWWhat does your Christmas tree look like? Show us at the comments below or send them via Facebook Messenger with the subject, "Our Christmas Tree." Merry Christmas!
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