19 days of Christmas festivities

Why do people flock to the ancient town of Palo in Leyte, the seat of the Catholic hierarchy in Eastern Visayas? There are a lot of reasons.

The main streets are decked with well-lighted Christmas trees and other décor items. The park is ablaze with dazzling lights and displays lanterns of assorted sizes and “belen” (Nativity Scene).

Stage presentations, exhibits and competitions keep the holiday spirit alive in this third-class municipality of nearly 50,000 people.

Palo’s Christmas Festival 2011 offers 19 days of festivities with the theme “Du-aw ha Palo, Lamrag ha Pasko (Visit Palo, the Light of Christmas).” It kicked off on Dec. 14 with the ceremonial switch-on of Christmas lights and will end on Jan. 2, 2012, with the awarding of prizes to contest winners.

Joyful Mysteries

A theater presentation of each of the five Joyful Mysteries was held on Dec. 17-21, along with the “panarit,” a song-and-dance drama about Joseph and Mary’s search for a room one wintry night.

To greet the new year, a “lantaka” (bamboo cannon) competition will take place on Dec. 31.

Other activities include the “Paskoshion,” a fashion show-cum-competition showcasing local designs using recyclable materials, and contests in hip-hop dancing, puppet-making, drama, caroling, “siday” (Waray poetry reading) and band music.

Searches will be made for the most decorated residence, best lighted barangay, most decorated lantern, and best Santa Claus and belen. Prizes range from P1,000 to P50,000.

Community effort

Palo Mayor Remedios “Matin” Petilla saw the festival as a community effort. “The people join hands in putting up the lights and decors and in the making and decorating the lanterns and Christmas trees.”

She said the festival was being held in cooperation with the Palo Christmas Festival Foundation Inc. and other groups, such as the Giants Club of Palo.

The event also features the Balay ni Santa Claus (House of Santa Claus) and the Saboren’s Christmas Fantasy House in Barangay Luntad.

Formally opened in 1988, the Christmas Fantasy House showcases miniature Christmas villages, tin soldiers, angels, toy trains, decorated fireplaces, Nativity scenes and animated toys that its owners have been collecting from his trips abroad.

The Balay ni Santa Claus, located just across the Palo Metropolitan Cathedral, is actually the Pedrosa ancestral home that was used as the municipal library. This time, the building has become home to replicas of Santa Clauses of different shapes and sizes.