BAGUIO CITY -- A “Christmas House” on Brower Road is among the anticipated holiday spectacles here due to its dazzling display of Christmas images, lanterns and lights.
Unknown to some people, however, a couple began adorning the house a quarter of a century ago in 1992 to cheer up their neighborhood when it was still reeling from the massive devastation and deaths caused by the "killer quake" less than two years earlier.
Filoteo Arevalo, a retired Armed Forces of the Philippines colonel, and his wife, Norma, a musician, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an exclusive interview in their now 94-year-old residence how their family began the holiday tradition of sprucing up their home in 1994.
The couple shared that after the July 16, 1990 earthquake left the city in rubbles and scores dead and injured, they -- and their 11 children -- decided to do something to help boost the morale of their neighbors.
"We could not do anything anymore but being alive is reason to be happy and celebrate the birth of Jesus,” they said.
The family then started to decorate the façade of their house with various Christmas images and lights to give joy to the community and help the people to somehow rise above the tragedy and find reason to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.
The couple said that since then, everytime their neighbors see the house already decorated, they know it is already the start of the holiday season, "a time for jubilation, to forget about the earthquake”.
For 25 years now, the Arevalo family has continued to decorate the façade of their house because of the “happiness it provides for the neighbors, the feeling of fulfillment (of) giving joy to other people aside from family”.
For many years, the "Christmas House", as their residence has come to be known, has been a popular destination, drawing many people who take photographs, some even setting up mats to sit on while viewing the decorations and lanterns that come in different sizes and shapes.
There are thousands of lights covering and illuminating the house at night. A giant Santa Claus sings and dances and numerous “drummer boys” play Christmas carols to the delight of spectators, especially the children.
“In the past, we did different motifs. We had 'Frozen', Christmas village, Filipiniana, flowers in different colors and sizes, and others that change every year,” said Norma, who serves as choir master in Saint Vincent Church. The Arevalos, being musically gifted, own the biggest music school in Baguio City.
Filoteo and Norma, now in their 80s, said their Christmas decoration is eagerly awaited by their neighborhood and even visitors, and putting up the entire display together keeps them busy and happy.
“We think of what to do, we don’t get a designer but we always see to it that there are electricians who will make sure that the thousands of lights will not cause any problem,” Norma said.
This year, the "Christmas House" has been fitted with 200 lanterns and 100 strands of Christmas lights. Inside, the couple’s collection of extraordinary and exquisite decors, which they call their "toys", fill up every nook and cranny.
There are Christmas hats, a singing Christmas tree, moving and singing drummer boys in different sizes, Santa Claus, angels, crystal lights and color-changing candy canes. A 10-foot Christmas tree filled with decors also stands on one corner of the living room.
Even the 15-foot long dining table is garbed with Christmas candles, placemats and plates. They pointed to a three-foot tall angel holding a candle, a Santa Claus and a doll as among the first decorations they used that remain in good condition today, reminding them of how they started the Christmas House tradition 25 years ago.
Norma said on the night before the start of the Misa de Gallo, they hold a Christmas fiesta in front of their house where various dishes like arroz caldo, barbecue, empanada and native cakes are served to all people who come, while waiting for the formal switch on of lights of the grand holiday display.
The lady of the house shared that they had in the past joined the city’s contest for beautifully decorated Christmas houses and they had won several times, with the cash prize donated either to the barangay or the church. After winning for several years, their family opted not to join anymore to encourage other residents to also decorate their homes and join the competition.
The Arevalo couple admitted that they spend quite a huge amount for the yearly Christmas House display but the joy it brings to the people is enough reward for their family. (PNA)
