christmas season

MANILA — In the Philippines, Christmas begins as soon as September arrives, the start of the so-called “ber” months. More than 100 days before Christmas Day itself, homes, streets, and malls are already glowing with lanterns and ornaments, while radio stations cue up Jose Mari Chan classics.

It’s the longest holiday season in the world, often stretching well into January and filled with familiar symbols such as the parol, the belen, and the towering Christmas tree.

For a new generation of Filipinos, especially those in creative and urban communities, the holiday aesthetic is shifting. Young designers are moving away from mass-produced décor and reimagining Christmas spaces with designs that feel more personal, sustainable, and rooted in culture.

Beyond red and green

Interior design has long influenced how Filipinos celebrate the season, from choosing the right lantern to arranging the nativity scene at home. Traditionally, this often meant reds and greens, blinking lights, and glittering ornaments.

“The Filipino Christmas used to mean simply decorating in reds and greens or hanging a lighted parol,” said Pojie Pambid, an interior designer and professor at the Philippine School of Interior Design – Ahlen Institute (PSID-Ahlen). “Today, interior design has opened a whole range of possibilities, letting homeowners experiment with colors and themes that reflect their personalities. It has transformed the way Filipinos experience Christmas.”

Much of this creativity is tied to Filipino culture and tradition. One concept in PSID-Ahlen’s Designs of Christmas exhibit, the school’s 48th graduation showcase, is “Simoy ng Pasko: A Simbang Gabi–Inspired Dining Lanai.” The design reimagines the Filipino dining lanai as an inviting space that captures the communal joy of Christmas.

The space features dark gray limestone walls, terrazzo flooring, and rattan accents in the furniture and lighting. Capiz tiles and rippled metal add symbolic layers of light and reflection. Soft greens and neutrals suggest a calm, dawn-like atmosphere, while warm golden light conveys renewal.

Together, these elements evoke the simoy ng Pasko, or December breeze, that affirms both hope and nostalgia.

“Our design captures the essence of Christmas as Filipinos know it: serene, heartfelt, and rooted in community,” said Clare Dacanay, one of the student designers behind the concept. “It is both a tribute to tradition and a reminder of the values that give the season its magic.”

This respect for tradition also shapes how designers select materials and create décor.

“The Filipino designer has nature as his backyard,” said Pambid. “Instead of relying on ready-made items, interior design teaches us to reuse and repurpose. Why buy when you can create? Why spend when you can save?”

In a season often defined by consumerism, when holiday décor is mostly bought rather than handcrafted, these approaches encourage Filipinos to craft holiday décor that is both stylish and meaningful.

“Interior design can transform Christmas into something deeper than spectacle,” Pambid added. “It’s about creating spaces that are handmade and true to who we are as a people.”

A new kind of inspiration

For many young creatives, Christmas design is less about following formulas and more about telling stories through spaces.

“Christmas is a celebration of variety, of cultures and of creativity,” said Joel Benitez, batch president of PSID-Ahlen’s 48th graduating class. “Styling for the holidays has no limits. We want people to leave with inspired minds and hearts filled with joy.”

That outlook is at the heart of the Designs of Christmas Exhibit, which features 12 interiors showcasing how a new generation of Filipino designers is reshaping the way the country celebrates its most cherished season.

The design themes span a wide spectrum, including Brutalism, Victorian, Art Deco, Mexican, Brazilian, Filipino, Chocolate-Plum-Mint, Lilac-Icy Blue-Ivory, Orange-Russet-Flame, Noel Aurora, Urban Cosmopolitan, and Rustic.

“These themes showcase the imagination of our designers,” said Benitez. “For us, Christmas is not only a tradition. It’s also a canvas for creativity and meaning.”

PSID-Ahlen’s Designs of Christmas Exhibit opens on September 27 at GH Tower in Greenhills.