My Autobiography: David Balleza K(C)atague: When Christmas Starts in September: My Reflections

Thursday, December 25, 2025

When Christmas Starts in September: My Reflections

When Christmas Begins in September

It is often said, half in wonder, half in disbelief that the Philippines celebrates the longest Christmas season in the world. By September, the “ber” months arrive, and with them the first familiar notes of Christmas songs drifting through malls, jeepneys, and neighborhood streets. To outsiders, it can seem excessive. To Filipinos, it feels natural, almost necessary.

As a Filipino-American, I have lived Christmas in two worlds. I have experienced it amid palm trees and parols swaying in warm December air, and also beneath winter skies in the United States, where Christmas feels more compressed, more contained, neatly beginning after Thanksgiving and ending swiftly once New Year’s Day passes. Each has its beauty. But they are very different spirits.

In the Philippines, Christmas is not just a date on the calendar; it is a season of endurance, anticipation, and shared ritual.

One of the traditions that stays with me most deeply is Misa de Gallo, the early morning masses held for eight consecutive days before Christmas. Long before dawn, while the world still sleeps, people rise from their beds and walk through quiet streets toward candlelit churches. There is something profoundly humbling about that collective act, choosing devotion over comfort, community over sleep. The air is cool, the sky dark, and yet there is a gentle joy in knowing you are not alone. Everyone is tired, and everyone shows up anyway.

After Mass, there is food always food. Warm rice cakes, bibingka and puto bumbóng, eaten standing up, laughing softly, steam rising into the morning air. These moments are small, fleeting, and unforgettable. They remind me that faith is not only spoken, it is practiced, step by step, morning after morning.

Then comes Noche Buena, the midnight feast on Christmas Eve. Unlike the hurried dinners I later experienced in America, Noche Buena is unhurried. Families stay awake together, waiting for the clock to turn, for the official arrival of Christmas Day. Tables are filled not just with food, but with history, dishes passed down, adapted, argued over, remembered. Ham, queso de bola, pancit, lumpia, and lechon, each plate carrying the fingerprints of generations.

What always struck me was how Christmas in the Philippines feels communal rather than transactional. Gifts matter, yes, but presence matters more. Time is the true offering. Doors stay open. Conversations linger. Laughter stretches late into the night.

In the United States, Christmas has its own quiet grace, twinkling lights against cold evenings, the intimacy of smaller gatherings, the comfort of routine. I have learned to appreciate that rhythm too. But sometimes, I miss the Philippine way of letting Christmas breathe, of allowing joy to arrive slowly and stay longer.

As I grow older, these memories take on new weight. Christmas becomes less about what is under the tree and more about what remains within us, traditions, stories, shared silences. The long Christmas of the Philippines teaches patience. It teaches preparation. It teaches that joy does not have to be rushed.

For those of us who have lived many Christmases, across countries and seasons of life, the meaning of the season subtly shifts. The noise softens. The gatherings grow smaller. The faces around the table change. And yet, the heart of Christmas, what truly endures becomes clearer. It is found in memory, gratitude, and presence.

Perhaps that is why Christmas in the Philippines begins so early and ends so late, stretching all the way to the Feast of the Three Kings. It mirrors life itself. We are given time to reflect, to gather, to remember who we belong to, and to honor those who are no longer physically with us but remain deeply present.

In these later years, Christmas may no longer be something we prepare for as much as something we carry. In our stories. In our traditions. In the way we show up for one another, even when energy is limited and time feels precious.

And maybe that is the greatest gift of all: knowing that the light we once followed in early morning Masses, or gathered around at midnight feasts, still lives within us, steady, familiar, and enough.

Meanwhile, here's the AI Overview on the Above Topic -The Parols💚

Christmas begins in September in the Philippines, marking the start of the world's longest festive season, known as the "Ber Months" (September, October, November, December) where malls play carols, decorations go up, and Filipino culture's deep love for the holiday brings celebrations to life early, stretching from September through January.

Why it starts in September:

Cultural Significance: The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country, and Christmas is the most important holiday, a time for faith, family, and reunions.
"Ber Months": Filipinos consider any month ending in "-ber" as part of the Christmas season, starting September 1st.
Festive Atmosphere: Malls and homes fill with decorations, Christmas trees, and the iconic star-shaped parols, creating a festive mood months in advance.
Preparation: Starting early allows more time for planning, church activities (like Simbang Gabi), and reaching out to family, especially those working abroad.

What it looks like:

Decorations: From colorful lights and parols 💚to elaborate displays, everything appears early.
Music: Christmas songs are heard everywhere, from radio to shopping centers.
Community: Preparations for church services and outreach programs begin.

This tradition reflects the Filipinos' joy and resilience, turning the holiday into a long, vibrant season of hope and celebration.

Meanwhile, Did you know that....
The iconic red-waxed cheese on every Filipino Noche Buena table isn’t actually Spanish at all? Queso de Bola (Edam cheese) is originally Dutch. 

During the height of Spanish rule, the Dutch and the Spanish were fierce rivals in trade and naval power. 

Yet, despite conflict, Dutch merchants continued to supply Edam cheese to Spanish territories—including the Philippines. 

The thick red wax wasn’t just for looks; it protected the cheese from spoiling during the months-long sea journey from Europe to Manila, making it a prized holiday luxury. Over time, it became so common in Filipino Christmas celebrations that many assumed it was part of “Spanish tradition”—when in fact, it was a Dutch import that simply outlasted history and became part of Filipino culture.

Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV will celebrate his first Christmas at the Vatican by reviving the tradition of offering Christmas Mass on Dec. 25 in St. Peter’s Basilica, something no pope has done since 1994.

The Christmas celebrations  which will be marked by the closing of the Holy Doors — will begin on the evening of Dec. 24, when the pontiff will celebrate Christmas Eve Mass at 10 p.m. local time in St. Peter’s Basilica.

I viewed the Christmas Eve mass, live in my PC yesterday afternoon. Here are some photos I took of this mass in my PC big Monitor, 24"X 46"

Lastly: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year To All My Readers in the World

No comments:

Highlights of My Professional Career

In my more than 40 years of professional career, I have experienced both working rank and file, as well as supervising the work of subordinates. I have worked in four private firms and the Federal Government, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where I retired. I enjoyed the challenges and difficulties of both types of job situations. This is the highlights of my work experience story.

My first job after completing my doctorate degree was a Chemist for Chemagro Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri. It was a subsidiary of Bayer Corporation, a German conglomerate. I worked for the analytical chemistry department comprised of about fifty people; half that number was either chemists or biologists. My specific task was to develop analytical methods for the detection of pesticide residues in plant and animal tissues. I worked on my own, similar to six other bench chemists, and we all reported to the same supervisor.

The firm sponsored my visa conversion from a student to a permanent resident, and I was able to legally work and reside in the United States with my family. The company generously took care of its employees. At the end of each successful year, everyone received a 13th month salary bonus. The employees and their families celebrated wonderful annual Christmas parties in a downtown Kansas City hotel, with dancing and free drinks for the whole night.

Inasmuch as I enjoyed and loved working for Chemagro for five years, I found a new job which offered a substantially higher pay. Due to my exemplary work performance, my supervisor preferred and lobbied for me to stay with the company. I had to turn him down because they could not match the package presented by my new employer. It was also a chance for me and my family to move and live in the US west coast, where the mild winter climate is bearable compared to the Midwest.

My next job was at the agricultural research division of Shell Development Company in Modesto, California. I was a Research Chemist, and again I worked individually, same as five other chemists who all reported to a supervisor. My specific duty was similar to my previous job. I worked for them for five years, until the company decided to get out of the pesticide business. They closed their research facility affecting the jobs of more than 200 employees.

My third industrial job was with the agricultural research division of Stauffer chemical company, located in Richmond, California. I was a Senior Research Chemist doing the same project as my two previous jobs. I worked for twelve continuous years for the company, with outstanding annual job performance. I became a Principal Research Chemist, the highest attainable non-supervisory position.

One day in 1986, my supervisor informed me that my job had been eliminated, and I had one day to vacate the facility. It was the most dreadful lay off experience in my life. I felt anger, sadness and humiliation to be dismissed from work with one day notice, after all the years of hard work invested for the company. This was an unforgettable incident and was the gloomiest point in my professional career.
The company terminated sixty research employees, who were upset of the bad news.

One of the chemists was distressed and expressed his outrageous anger by threatening the company and its workers. He told his supervisor of his intention to bomb and burn down the laboratory. He was immediately escorted by the security staff out of the building and into his car. He was informed to leave behind his personal belongings; they will be mailed to his residence. He was warned never to show up again near the company premises or risk getting arrested.

My supervisor was kind and allowed me to take my time to pack up my belongings. It took me two days to clear up my workplace, after toiling for a long period in the same jobsite. We were provided clerical help and office space, in preparation to look for another job, such as updating our resumes, and using the computer and copy machine. We were given six weeks of separation pay plus benefits.

Fortunately, with the help of a friend who is a Church parishioner, I found another job thirty days after leaving Stauffer chemical company. He hired me as a senior research chemist and as a group leader with two technicians to supervise. It was in the same field as my expertise in my previous three jobs spanning the last twenty one years. My new employer was Chevron Chemical Company, and which was located in the same area as my former employer.

This job gave me the introduction and basic knowledge of managing the work of subordinates. I worked for Chevron Company for four and a half years. The company decided to consolidate their research facilities in Texas, and lay off all its research employees. This time I had enough distress and agony from working, and eventually getting laid off from several private companies. To avoid going through any more miserable layoffs, I made a vow that I would never again work for a private company.

In my work experiences, there were noticeable and unavoidable jobsite occurrences. One can never miss the office romantic relationships between co-workers, both illicit and permitted. Though it was frowned upon, there was a boss and staff relationship, which was used as a ploy to get ahead in the company. Some relationships had chemistry, no pun intended, but some never worked out. Oftentimes, there was a sense of distrust among bench chemists for some workers who unjustly obtained preferred work assignments.

Some employees resorted to bribing superiors to get special privileges, such as being able to attend choice conferences and meetings in exciting venues or locations. Likewise, politics was always present at the worksites. It was during an era when various forms of harassment, equal opportunity and discrimination laws were not yet enforced in the workplace. Occasionally, an unexpected chemical explosion happens in a laboratory setting, where luckily no one got seriously hurt.

In the three private companies I worked for, I was able to publish scientific journals for some of the research studies and analytical methods which I developed for the respective companies of Chemagro, Shell Development and Stauffer.

After deciding and making a vow to avoid working in the private sector, I made my new goal which was either to work for the state of California, or the Federal government in Washington, D.C. Four months after I lost my job in Chevron, I was lucky and joyful to be hired by the Food and Drug Administration as a review chemist in the fall of 1990.

In 1994 I was promoted as an Expert Research Chemist with a GS-14 rating. My expertise was on Anti-malarial and Anti-parasitic drug products. In 1997, I was again deservingly promoted to Chemistry team leader, supervising the work of six Chemistry reviewers including five with doctorate degrees.

As team leader, I was responsible for prioritizing, assigning, and assuring the technical accuracy of all chemistry, manufacturing and control issues for all new drug applications submitted to the Division of Anti-Infective Drug Products, Center of New Drugs.

It was part of my responsibility to give advice, instruct and promote high morale and teamwork in my group. My work in the FDA is confidential, until the drug patent on the products I worked on has expired. There are manufacturing supplements that I have approved that are now open for the public in the Internet.

In 1998, I won the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Award. The citation reads, “For outstanding accomplishments in fostering the objectives of the EEO Program by hiring minorities and encouraging their professional growth while providing excellent leadership.” I have received numerous certificates of appreciation, awards in leadership and communications, commendation for teamwork and excellence in the accomplishment of the FDA mission. I have also received several letters of appreciation from private industry for my review work.

There are many good things working as rank and file while enjoying doing one’s job individually. It is a humbling, satisfying and productive experience, if one can work in harmony with one’s immediate supervisor. Working individually develops one’s skills in goal setting and scheduling. But in general, the financial rewards are less than a person who has supervisory responsibilities.

Managing the work of others has its challenges. Moreover, it develops one’s skill in handling and developing people, and the compensation rewards and benefits are better. Due to additional duties, responsibilities and leadership, supervisory work can be more stressful than working as a subordinate. However, supervisory jobs give one more personal growth and satisfaction, based on my personal experience. My work in FDA as a team leader managing the work of six scientists had been the happiest and rewarding work experience in my career in Chemistry. You might also like:

Thursday, December 25, 2025

When Christmas Starts in September: My Reflections

No comments:

Post a Comment

Linkwithin

Write a Comment