Varying Faces of "Ber Months"

Cristine Camacho

December 11, 2023 Whenever the last quarter of the year comes around, people in the Philippines would already be preparing for the biggest holiday celebrated in the country—Christmas. It’s a long-existing tradition consistently practiced by Filipinos for about 4 months every year, once ber months entered the scene.

Christmas is one of the most awaited holidays in the country, having the Philippines as the cradle of the third greatest number of Catholics in the world and the only catholic nation in Asia. The last quarter of the year is always spent on the preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ so much so that Christmas decorations are being sold anywhere as early as September. 

In today's age, there are about 4,523 Christian churches registered in the Philippines, and around 4,000 different religious faiths in the world, having Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam as the five of the most well-known faiths.

Just like the rich culture and tradition, there’s also a diversity in religion practiced by the Filipinos. In the same way, Christmas is celebrated during December, there are other celebrations done by various religions in the last month of the year as well. 

During winter, Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah, which means “a festival of light”. It is an 8-day event where Jewish people light their menorah, spin dreidels, and eat delicious food. This is to commemorate the time they were able to reclaim their land around 200 BC.

Diwali also means festival of lights but is celebrated by Hindus. They will make Altars at their homes decorated with colorful grains, flowers, sweets, and spices. They also light candles, fireworks, and oil lamps called diya. This is celebrated during October or November, depending on the Lunar calendar.

Muslims celebrate Eid, the mark of the end of Ramadan. Ramadan starts at the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, which also depends on the Lunar calendar. Muslims will fast for a month, pray, and spend time with their families. On Eid, they will wear their finest clothing, break their fast, and celebrate.

Buddhists celebrate Christmas in their own way. They focus on the values of peace, love, and kindness which are aligned with their beliefs. Aside from this, they have Bodhi Day which is celebrated for 30 days in December. Buddhists will eat cookies in the shape of a heart. This is because it matches the leaves of a fig, or Bodhi, the tree.

Here in the Philippines, individuals who have a different religion, utilize their time for their own development. In an interview with BulSUans, the following are what non-Christian BulSUans usually do during the Christmas season.

• Sleep a lot

• Exercise and strength training 

• Train their brains as a form of relaxation 

• Go to the beach/pool

• Yoga and meditation

• Spend time with friends and family

• Go home to their province

• Discover cafes/Eat a lot of foods

• Stay home and binge-watch shows

• Nothing/doom scrolling

Moreover, talking about atheists and agnostics—those who do not believe in any god or gods—celebrate Christmas as well, due to Christmas being a secular holiday. Meaning, it is non-religious in nature. Despite Christmas being rooted in Christianity it is still considered as a secular holiday because its core mainly focuses on the bond between family and friends. 

Different faces of “ber months” celebration for varying religions reflect the diversity between beliefs and norms among a pool of individuals, nonetheless, they are all initiated by the same purpose, and that is to honor and celebrate an idea that followers highly believe in.—OVERTURN