CHRISTMAS is good when you celebrate it with someone, at least; it is better when you have a bash with the family; and it is best when your whole community observes its true spirit.

As for me, I’m having a great Christmas season in Pangasinan.

I am fortunate that my family always makes sure to make Christmas a special event. We put shimmering decorations. We prepare enough chows. We give each other gifts. We give some dough to the carolers. And above all, we take extra effort to show love – the essence of Christ’s birth is really felt.

Beyond my family, I feel even merrier to know that the rest of the Pangasinan community celebrates as well.

The provincial government under Governor Amado Espino Jr. planned and prepared for a beautiful display at the capitol that is not simply a sight to behold but meaningful for the entire Pangasinan community.

On the evening of December 2, a lighting ceremony was held which illuminated the entire capitol grounds in Lingayen, with a 45-foot Christmas tree and Belen (nativity scene) as the main attractions.

The ceremony was held after the culmination of the first Pangasinan cultural and arts festival titled “Balitok A Tawir”, held at the Sison Auditorium. The festival was a competition on the performing arts – including folk dance, song, and sarswela – wherein employees of the local government units (LGUs) in the province participated.

The LGU representatives, after staging and being entertained by the well-rehearsed numbers, strolled from the auditorium to the capitol, with each group carrying a lantern symbolizing their city or municipality. These lanterns were then used to adorn the giant Christmas tree, a lovely ceremony signifying the province’s oneness. “They symbolize unity among the LGUs of our province,” said Butch Velasco, public information officer.

Each LGU lantern is beautiful in itself but they look even better hanging there together, just like a unified province, which the capitol hopes for.

Also dangling all around the tree are lanterns in the images of fish, bagoong, and other products of the province. “They signify the industries and abundance of the province,” said Maria Luisa Elduayan, the chief tourism operations officer.

All I can say is ‘wow!’, the tree is really a Pangasinan Christmas tree.

The provincial capitol also organized a Simbang Gabi at the capitol, the traditional daily dawn masses that start on December 15 until the 23rd, although they gave it a bit of twist with the masses scheduled at 5 p.m.

All these make me feel proud to be a Pangasinense and I am happy to be celebrating this wonderful season right here. A merry, peaceful, and meaningful Christmas to all! – Johanne Margarette R. Macob, UPB

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