It’s not unusual for Filipinos to hear Christmas songs from carollers every night for the rest of December. It’s like having an instant playlist which includes Christmas songs like “Sa May Bahay ang Aming Bati”, “Ang Pasko ay Sumapit” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”.
How about hearing popular Tagalog and Bisaya Christmas songs from American carollers?
It sounds pretty strange but five Americans from the “Hey Joe Show” managed to pull off an act that will amuse every Filipino.
Known for speaking in fluent Bisaya in their skits, the funny group produces videos that showcase the young foreigners’ love for our culture. Just three days before Christmas, the group released a unique video featuring the songs “Bro, Ikaw Ang Star ng Pasko”, “Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit”, and “Pasko na Naman”. They even rendered their own version of famous Christmas songs “Silent Night”, “Feliz Navidad”, and “Jingle Bells”.
Perhaps you might be wondering what they got in return. For their one-of-a-kind performance, the group received 25 centavos, a small pack of peanuts, and a scoop of rice.
Watch these Americans try Pinoy-style Carolling.
Traditional Pinoy Christmas Carolling
A big part of the Filipino Christmas celebration is carolling. Young kids in small groups meet-up every night and spread holiday cheer in the neighbourhood by singing traditional Christmas songs accompanied by handmade musical instruments like tambourine and drums made of cans.
Usually, the house owners give them coins in exchange for their performance. After receiving a treat, they usually sing “Thank you, ang babait ninyo” to show their gratitude.
This tradition is also being practiced by adults including members of church organisations, community groups, and even charity groups to raise funds. Most of them send out letters in advance to give you time to prepare a bigger donation.