Philippine Traditions

[JJReyes]

I received an email from a relative to set aside December 10th for the family Christmas get together.  The message included the phrase, "Don't forget to bring money."  The origin is possibly Chinese wherein elders hand out red envelopes with money to younger ones.  With ours, anyone below 18 years lines up, gives you a quick kiss, and you hand out money.  All the bills must be brand new.  This is their Christmas spending money.  It can cost a lot depending on your level of generosity.  My father included everyone.  The entire local police and fire department (in their red trucks to prove they were really firemen), and sanitation workers.

Have others encounter similar Philippine traditions?

[BrettGC]

Not with my ex gf's or wife's family, the first was in Butuan, my wife's family is mainly in Negros so far enough apart that there are some regional variations on Christmas traditions.   

[scott h]

2 hours ago, JJReyes said:

The origin is possibly Chinese

Did a quick peek at wiki,,,I love to learn about tradition orgins....turns out its Spanish (not a big suprize lol) 

 

 A lesson for the kiddos: Aguinaldo

Christmas is for the young ones. And so the kids receive more than the adults on this day. Aguinaldo can be in the form of a gift, money, toys, or anything kids would enjoy. This is a Filipino tradition where the adults share in any form hard-earned blessings throughout the year.

Aguinaldo is originally a Spanish term for bonus, which is said to come from the Spanish colonial period when Filipino workers received extra pay from their employers during the Christmas season. It is still being practiced today, but the word gave it a better and wider purpose as the value of generosity indirectly spreads through the younger generation.

2 hours ago, JJReyes said:

All the bills must be brand new.

Every year I am sent to our credit union to get new 20 peso bills. I asked for fun and was told that teach xmas season they get around 2 million pesos worth of new 20 peso bills.

[Kingpin]

2 hours ago, JJReyes said:

received an email from a relative to set aside December 10th for the family Christmas get together.  The message included the phrase, "Don't forget to bring money."

That reminds me that one reason I like Christmas in the Philippines is because my wife isn't close to her family.

There is a tradition here though where anyone can say "pinaskuhan" to you and you're supposed to give them money, thankfully there's no translation in English.

 

[Snowy79]

I rely on the tradition of living more than two islands away from the family and ensuring the security on the main gate don't allow anyone in. It's a Scottish tradition that I'm hoping catches on.  

[Joey G]

5 hours ago, JJReyes said:

The message included the phrase, "Don't forget to bring money." 

I wish it was only at Christmas... 

[JJReyes]

We met with my sister yesterday.  She is loaning us a condo at Ayala Residences.  I asked her to get me brand new bills from her bank for the get together.  20's, 50's, and 100's.  She said it was too much money because the rules have changed.  Anyone who has a job becomes a giver rather than a taker.  That eliminates the nephews and nieces and some grandchildren.  My wife and I count as one which is a 50% savings.  Total recipients is reduced to around 50 to 70.  The new custom is everyone's household staff will also show up.  They will form a separate line for their share of my money.  "But I don't know any of them."  Her reply, "That's okay.  They will still expect one hundred pesos.  Each."

[Old55]

6 minutes ago, JJReyes said:

We met with my sister yesterday.  She is loaning us a condo at Ayala Residences.  I asked her to get me brand new bills from her bank for the get together.  20's, 50's, and 100's.  She said it was too much money because the rules have changed.  Anyone who has a job becomes a giver rather than a taker.  That eliminates the nephews and nieces and some grandchildren.  My wife and I count as one which is a 50% savings.  Total recipients is reduced to around 50 to 70.  The new custom is everyone's household staff will also show up.  They will form a separate line for their share of my money.  "But I don't know any of them."  Her reply, "That's okay.  They will still expect one hundred pesos.  Each."

No.

JJ don't play their little gimme-gimme game.  Hell no.

[JJReyes]

15 minutes ago, Old55 said:

No.

JJ don't play their little gimme-gimme game.  Hell no.

I am already considered to be the cheapskate of the family so a little gimme-gimme game is okay.  My wife and I discussed it.  For the household staff, it will be 50's.  She will be the one to do it.  Being a foreigner, they won't dare make any snide remarks regarding the lack of generosity.  

[Mike J]

1 hour ago, JJReyes said:

We met with my sister yesterday.  She is loaning us a condo at Ayala Residences.  I asked her to get me brand new bills from her bank for the get together.  20's, 50's, and 100's.  She said it was too much money because the rules have changed.  Anyone who has a job becomes a giver rather than a taker.  That eliminates the nephews and nieces and some grandchildren.  My wife and I count as one which is a 50% savings.  Total recipients is reduced to around 50 to 70.  The new custom is everyone's household staff will also show up.  They will form a separate line for their share of my money.  "But I don't know any of them."  Her reply, "That's okay.  They will still expect one hundred pesos.  Each."

Sounds a bit like it may have gone beyond "expectation" and is now bordering on "extortion".   A few years back we were buying baby formula for one of our nephews.  The mother maybe either would not or could not nurse?  Anyway she had watched the adds on television that told how one formula would ensure that the child would grow up a genius and gifted athlete, typical of Philippine advertising.     This brand was of course much more expensive as it had all those magical ingredients.  She called my wife "kuripot" when told the other brand was what we would provide.