6 Christmas Villages in the Philippines You Must Visit

Lumina Homes knows for a fact that greeting each other a merry Christmas as early as September is part of Filipino culture. In fact, the Philippines is known worldwide for having the longest-running Christmas celebration, with a prosperous city in Pampanga monikered as Asia's Christmas capital, a tall distinction that only underscores the country as a distinctly Christmas-loving nation.

With less than a month before the actual celebration of Christmas, get to know some of the country's Christmas villages, where the spirit of the holiday season could be most felt.

6 Must-Visit Christmas Villages, Philippines

Being the only Catholic nation in Asia comprising more than 80 percent of the country's strong population, it does not take rocket science to understand the love we have for this special December holiday. Without further ado, take a closer look at our list of Christmas destinations in the country that you, your friends, and your family should visit during the Christmas season.

City of San Fernando, Pampanga

Hailed as both the Christmas Capital of the Philippines and Asia, the City of San Fernando in Pampanga is home to the Giant Lantern Festival. Natively known as Ligligan Parul, the annual Giant Lantern Festival is a celebration in Pampanga's capital city where native lantern makers from different villages compete as to which Giant Lantern is the most exquisite.

The Christmas villages in the city take the annual festivity to a large extent, so it wouldn't be surprising if you visit San Fernando before the Ber months yet people can already be seen preparing to build their eye-dazzling giant lanterns for the annual competition.

Baguio Country Club Christmas Village

This list would be incomplete without the mention of the City of Pines, Baguio City. Famous for its cool climate in a country where it's warm all throughout the year, the annual Christmas village in Baguio features Christmas cottages, amusement rides, and eye-catching Christmas trees worthy of an Instagrammable My-Day picture.

In addition, one of the highlights of the holiday event is the nativity play, where the staff is clad in costumes depicting Mary and Joseph, the three kings, and the shepherds. With holiday-themed music to accompany your nocturnal strolling, kids and the young at heart can pose for a selfie with Santa Claus, which is a treat for kids. Baguio is indeed the perfect location to celebrate Christmas, what with its cold weather and makeshift snow complementing the holiday atmosphere.

SM Mall of Asia, Pasay

If you're within Metro Manila and you ran short of time planning your Christmas itinerary, the spacious SM Mall of Asia is easily accessible for you and your family. SM Mall of Asia launched its Christmas Drive-Thru installation in the country last year. Situated on the arena's concert grounds, the Christmas village installation features a variety of eye-catching Christmas decorations that kids will surely love. The best part, perhaps, is the fact that you can bear witness to this Christmas spectacle without leaving your vehicle.

Moreover, several installations and zones within the setting are also an audiovisual feast. It is a grand display of lights parade, colorful decorations, and a fantastic pyrotechnical display. Kids will also surely love meeting Santa Claus, his adorable reindeers, and a host of other Christmas decorations that visually enchant whoever comes across them.

Nuvali Fountain of Lights, Laguna

To cater to locals in South Luzon and neighboring provinces, Nuvali's Fountain of Lights in Laguna is a must-visit Christmas village in the Philippines. In 2016, the magical Field of Lights was inaugurated, which features a stunning display of lights to exhibit the uplifting holiday spirit during the Yuletide season. With its innumerable, stunningly colored tube lights, spheres, and LED-powered Christmas trees, this Christmas village in Laguna brought home the Silver Stevie Award for Best Exhibition Display.

Come December, Nuvali is hosting The Fountain of Lights, which likewise exhibit thousands of lights that create a grand display to fit the season. This show is free to the public and accessible every Friday to Sunday until January 8, from 6 pm to 9 pm at the Lakeside Grounds of Nuvali, Ayala Land's biggest eco-city development.

Policarpio Street, Mandaluyong City

The City of Mandaluyong is yet another perfect destination to spend the holiday season. Mandaluyong City is highly urbanized, with an array of commercial establishments and perpetually busy malls, and it is no surprise that it can also hold a Christmas village within its sprawling vicinity.

Policarpio Street in Barangay New Zañiga metamorphoses into a wonderland of lights that illuminate the village, fully covering it with Christmas decorations and lights that sparkle through the night. Notably, The House of Light and the House of Santa Claus are two of the main houses where Metro Manila’s largest collection of amusing Santa Claus replicas could be seen and taken pictures of. Policarpio Street is simply the go-to destination of Manilenos who want to spend the holidays outdoors before the clock strikes midnight, and even stay the night there.

FarmPlate, Albay

The famed FarmPlate in Albay is a massive attraction in the Bicol region. The red barn draws a large influx of tourists from around the country to experience the area's peaceful farm life. Every December, it is a Christmas village destination with a pine tree adorned with Christmas lights and sky lanterns. 

In addition, FarmPlate holds a Santa House where both the youth and boomers can enter and take photographs to immortalize the moment and occasion. There are also some nights when FarmPlate hosts a jamming session with the beautiful sound of a saxophone lulling visitors into the holy night. Owing to its wide space, families can also dine in through the picnic tables, ride a carabao cart, fly a kite, and light a bonfire once the sky is blanketed with nothing but darkness.

Dumaguete Christmas House

Known for being The City of Gentle People, Dumaguete is also an ideal holiday destination for Negros Oriental residents and those from nearby cities and provinces. Besides being a beach destination, Dumaguete is also home to an exquisite Spanish-style Christmas House owned by Dr. Rico Absin.

As a proud member of the Dumaguete City Tourism Council, Dr. Absin made it a tradition to host a party not for the elite but for children belonging to low-income families. Dr. Absin is also an organizer of fundraising events and charities to support his causes. The Dumaguete Christmas house, in all its splendor of lights, is open to the public with an affordable fee that will also go for the maintenance of the Christmas mansion.

Tangub City, Christmas Symbols Capital

The City of San Fernando earned the moniker "Christmas Capital of the Philippines." Tangub City in Misamis Occidental province, meanwhile, has its own Christmas nickname that makes it popular every December: the Philippines' Christmas Symbol Capital.

Established in 1992, it has since hosted the annual Christmas Symbol Festival every December, where it developed from a dark part of the city into a beautifully lit community bathed in a stupendous glow. As its moniker suggests, the city features various Christmas symbols, from giant parols, to Christmas trees, and a Belen. What is more, the Christmas event in Tangub City draws massive foot traffic for its replicas of some of the world's famous tourist spots, such as France's Notre Dame, South Korea's Hwaseong Fortress, and Italy's Isola Bella’s Garden Fountain, among others.

Spend Christmas With the Family in Your Lumina Homes

Before, during, and after Christmas Eve, there's no better company to spend the holidays with than your loved ones. After heading to one of the Christmas villages in the Philippines as listed above, have an intimate salo-salo with your family inside your affordable house and lot with Lumina Homes.

The housing arm of Vista Land, Lumina Homes offers its signature provision of a legitimately affordable house and lot for sale. If you haven't thought about what to gift yourself and the family just yet, a residential real estate that offers a variety of amenities and perks may well be perfect for you this holiday season.

Every Lumina Homes community in the country boasts accessibility to establishments such as schools, hospitals, grocery stores, government offices, marketplaces, and transport terminals, among others. This ensures that every Lumina homeowner is living a comfortable life with the aid of said perks and amenities. Get the chance to own your well-situated Lumina house and lot in the Philippines today, and message us with your real estate investment queries.