5 things a Pinoy-coded Christmas can’t live without

Every family celebrates the magic of Christmas differently. Some have their holiday traditions, others tend to switch it up every year.

Despite the variety, there are a few essential things and experiences that make the season’s festivities distinctly Pinoy.

House-to-house caroling, ang-paos, or monito monitas. Despite these Christmas activities being drawn from the complex blend of our East Asian, Spanish, and American cultural influences, they signify the season’s core motif—generosity.

There’s something endearingly Filipino about the desire to cheerfully give and gift through whatever channel, medium, or form it may take. The magic lies in the willingness to show big and small acts of kindness to others and the gratitude that washes us over in the process.

Reunions and videoke. What event magically aligns even the busiest of schedules and brings family members all together under one roof? A classic Filipino reunion. These well-anticipated meetups go beyond the norms of having over blood relatives, extending the annual holiday invite even to found families—long-distance friends, former workmates, high school batchmates, the list goes on!

There’s food, fun, and of course it won’t be complete without guests belting out Christmas tunes to either start or cap off the gathering. The pinoy singing gene works extra hard during the holidays, for sure.

Last December 6 -7, families were able to get serenaded by the Philippines’ favorite yuletide performer Jose Mari Chan while immersing in the sensory wonder of Lady’s Choice Mayo Handaan Storyland which featured different pinoy-coded Christmas experiences-- VR style!

Watch to see the magic of the moment unfold: 

Noche buena specials. There’s nothing quite like a Filipino handaan. Whatever the celebration may be, a dining table filled to the brim with warm, hearty dishes is sure to welcome you. The spread is somewhat magical – a medley of meals courtesy of each host, guest, and attendee.

Of course, a Pinoy Christmas feast isn’t complete without the iconic creamy macaroni salad—made best with Lady’s Choice Real Mayonnaise. This year, Lady’s Choice invites elevated mayonnaise dishes to your kitchen with Crispy Tofu Sisig and Creamy Macaroni Salad.

No matter what your celebration might look like, a Pinoy-coded Christmas can’t exist without the simple presence of generosity, gratitude, community, celebration, and food.

These are what gives the season its reason—because the holidays aren’t brought together by checklists and benchmarks. It comes forth through stories of real people, real moments, and real mayonnaise.