Parties, be it Birthday, baptismal, confirmation, anniversaries or any other life event one can think of are serious business in the Philippines.
Birthday parties for the youngest aren’t just annual events, but particularly in the first year, may be held monthly, or at first three months, then six months then eventually annually. Really there is no hard and fast rule. The parents are delighted to have a new baby in the home, and will gladly celebrate any milestone they can. In some ways it’s like teen couples delighted in their love who celebrate their ‘monthsaries’, surviving another month without breaking up! Cause for celebration indeed!
Some parties are, as in the case with young smitten couples, very much a private affair, and maybe the monthsaries of new children may be low-key (although not always), but for the most part, Filipinos like to share the celebratory joys with family and friends. There is almost ALWAYS some kind of party or celebration one can be invited to, and if you are a regular gift-giver, the chances are very high that you may have a full schedule of events to attend. Is it any wonder that instances of diabetes and high cholesterol are increasing in the Philippines?
The spreads that are put on the table at parties often consist of lechon, (whole pig roasted over a fire), various pork dishes, (afritada, ) etc, fried chicken, whole grilled fish, and a curious macaroni salad mix, and the sumptuously decorated cake will crown the head place at the table. For most people at the party, ladies, and children of all ages, soft drinks are plentiful, but for the older males and some of the more adventurous women, various alcoholic drinks will be available, such as the ever popular Tanduay Rum, Red Horse or San Miguel Beer, and other substances such as GSM, Emperador or other locally produced brandies.
Some people will invite mostly family members from near or far, whilst others invite whole swathes of people living up and down the street, especially children. For my own part, I find that inviting people from the neighbourhood helps a lot in bonding, making and maintaining friendships. Parties of all kinds of course are times of catching up on all kinds of news (read gossip) of what’s happening with this or that aunt or with a young lady who seems to be going astray etc. At many parties, once the alcoholic liquids start to flow, there may be a demand to bring out a set of microphones, fire up the tv and videoke machine so that all can join in the vocal revelries as well. If there is one thing that Filipinos love, it is a good song, sung lustily with the words scrolling down the screen. Skills vary, but that is of little or no importance here, it is not about skills, but enthusiasm. Many are the parties which continue almost until dawn on the strength of the videoke.
The thing with parties in the Philippines, is that families rich and poor spend substantial amounts of money (depending on their income) for these parties. The rich put on a spread in displays of wealth and ostentation, while the poorer families make do, and often do more than their budget really permits. In other words, in poorer neighbourhoods, when the mother decides a party needs to be held, she will go all out to ensure its success and invite neighbours and friends for a shared meal, even if her means are very simple. The important thing is to share together and fellowship together. These are really times of community bonding, with plenty of laughter and gossip, of entertaining one another and just being a small community sharing in the joy of whatever event the party celebrates. Oftimes these parties bring a substantial financial burden to the household, especially if the family is of very modest means, but the value is not measured in pesos, its value is in smiles, laughter and memories.
Photo credits: final picture, 1st Birthday – Wikibini, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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