The World's Longest Christmas Season

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Avatar for Jane
Written by
3 years ago

December 12, 2020

The presence of Christmas is truly in the air and right around the corner. In everywhere you go - to the malls, shopping centers, department stores, supermarkets, even while riding on public vehicles - you will hear Christmas songs and see Christmas decors.

Parols (Photo from Pinterest)

In our country, it is really normal to hear Christmas songs and see Christmas decors everywhere as early as September. The Philippines is regarded as a country that celebrates the world's longest Christmas season. Started from the first day of September until the third week of January.

Belen (Photo from kitkat.com

As the first 'Ber month' arrived, people are already excited to decorate their houses with different parols (Christmas lanterns), belen (a creche or tableau portraying the Birth of Christ derived from the word Bethlehem), Christmas lights and trees, and other Christmas displays, and along with it is playing Christmas carols.

Filipinos around the world begin the countdown to Christmas as the first day of September mark on the calendar. For us Filipinos and to all Christians, Christmas is one of the most important traditions and season of the year.

If you will visit the Philippines during the Christmas season, there are a lot of things to do as part of Filipino culture and tradition and that made its title 'The World's Longest Christmas Season'. These are also the things I missed the most while working abroad. All countries have their way of celebrating the Christmas season but it's just so different in the Philippines.

Here are the things to do in the Philippines during the Christmas season:

Photo credit: mb.com.ph

Simbang Gabi or Misa de Galo in Spanish term is also called Rooster's Mass because it is held at dawn. The dawn mass services start from the 16th day of December until the 24th day and as early as 3-5 in the morning. In some parishes, masses begin at 7:30 or 8:00 in the evening.

When I was a kid, I was always excited about the Simbang Gabi because they said that God will grant your special wish if you attended and hears all nine Masses. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to attend the Simbang Gabi since it's quite dangerous to walk on a dark street for kids. There were no public vehicles yet during those hours and our village is quite far from our town proper where our church is located. The 16th day of December is not only exciting because of the first Simbang Gabi but also because it is my brother's birthday. And I also asked myself when I was young, "why is it called Simbang Gabi if it is held early in the morning?" 😅

  • Eat Traditional Filipino Breakfast After the Dawn Mass

Photo credit: Facebook by FilipinosAroundTheWorld

After the masses, churchgoers can buy Filipino delicacies sold outside the church and can eat it either within the church precinct or take it home. Different Filipino native delicacies are offered by the vendors such as, bibingka (rice flour and egg-based cake, cooked using coal burners above and under); puto bumbong (a purple, sticky rice delicacy steamed in bamboo tubes, buttered then sprinkled with brown sugar and shredded dried coconut meat), palitaw (made from grined glutinous grains, dough is formed into thin patties, cooked in boiling water, and then coated with grated coconut, toasted sesame seeds, and sugar), and more, partnered with hot drinks such as salabat (ginger tea), tsokolate or cocoa (thick, Spanish-style hot chocolate), and coffee.

In the provinces, mass sponsors offers free breakfast to devotees after attending the mass. They distributed packed foods like champorado, sopas, pansit (vermicelli) or sandwhiches and drinks outside the church. And anyone who come out from church after the mass are free to get one.

Photo credit: foxyfolksy.com

And at home, mothers usually cooked champorado (chocolate porridge) for breakfast. Kids really like eating champorado. I suddenly craved for it since it is cold right here. My grandmother is very good at cooking champorado and she also knows how to make tablea (cacao tablets) which we usually used for making tsokolàte for breakfast.

  • Christmas Caroling

Photo credit: Pinterest by Cindy Missiona

As the Simbang Gabi begins, the Christmas caroling also started. And the same with Simbang Gabi, it also lasted for nine nights from December 16 to 24. Filipino children even some teens and adults, visited from house to house at night and merrily sing Christmas carols along with their tambourines, guitars, drums and other intruments, or even just clapping their hands. The carols usually ends with high-pitched greeting of “Maligayang Pasko” or “Merry Christmas”.

Homeowners will then reward the carolers with small treats or coins for their effort of singing merrily. In some cases, those who perform well receives higher amount than those who didn't sing well. Then after receiving the reward, the carolers will ended it by saying "Thank you, thank you, ang babait ninyo, thank you!” (literally Thank you, thank you, you are so kind, thank you!). For naughty kids who aren't contended with their reward, they will humourously sing "Thank you, thank you, ang babarat ninyo thank you!" (Thank you, thank you, you are ungenerous thank you!" Then run away fastlt after singing the line loudly. 🤣

I personally experienced partaking the Christmas caroling and that was so fun. At the end of the caroling, the collected rewards will be divided to each member of the group. Some kids are saving money from doing Christmas caroling so they can buy gift for themselves on Christmas day.

  • Christmas Midnight Mass and Noche Buena

Photo credit: straightarrow.com.ph

Besperas ng Pasko or Christmas Eve on the 24th day of December is celebrated with the midnight mass. For those who cannot attend the Simbang Gabi, they prefer to attend the Christmas Eve mass. And after the midnight mass, Filipino family members are gathered together to have a Noche Buena feast at home.

Photo credit: pinoypositively.com

The traditional yuletide fare often served with foods such as queso de bola (Filipino Spanish for "ball of cheese", hamón (Christmas ham), tsokoláte (hot chocolate drink), pasta, fruit salad and fresh fruits and after the feast is the best time for exchanging and opening Christmas presents.

Kids during those hours are usually asleep but on Christmas Eve, they are fully awake and having fun while opening their Christmas presents.

  • Christmas Day

The Christmas Day begins with a morning mass that all family members and even the non-churchgoers are present. After the mass, Filipinos typically visit their extended family.

Photo from Facebook

This custom is enacted through the "Pagmamano" a sign of giving respect to adults. It is done by taking the hand of an elder and pressing the back part of the hand against the forehead, while saying the greeting, Mano, po (literally "[Thy] hand, please"). Then the elder will respond by saying a blessing or simply acknowledging the gesture. And in return they will give "Aguinaldo" (Spanish term for bonus) or a
money in the form of crisp banknotes that is often placed in an envelope. In Chinese they called it ang pao or red pocket.

Photo credit: huffingtonpost.ca

And to Godparents, they are socially obligated to give aguinaldo or presents to their godchildren. And kids are always excited for this part.

  • Pamamasko

Aside from receiving presents and aguinaldo from relatives and Godparents, it's been a practice in the Philippines that kids go from house to house to ask small Christmas presents from the homeowners and we call it "pamamasko".

Photo credit: worldvision.com

This practice may sound demanding but homeowners really prepared gifts for kids who will knock on their door and will ask for gifts. Kids will usually say " namamasko po" a polite way of asking small gifts from the homeowners.

When I was a kid, after attending the morning mass, me and my friends and relatives will have house to house visit with our bags or any plastic bags where we can place our collected gifts from different homeowners. The gifts are either toys, school supplies, candies, chocolates, and other foods, and for some, they will give a small amount of money. At the end of the day, we are so happy as our bags are full of candies, other foods and some toys.

  • New Year's Eve and Media Noche

Photo credit: Pinterest by Maria A. Gall

On the midnight of December 31 ( (Bisperas ng Bagong Taon), Filipino families gather together for the Media Noche, a blessful midnight feast that symbolises hopes for prosperity in the coming year.

Sometimes, Filipinos will gather on the streets where they can set up their tables for New Year's Eve parties, make noise and light firecrackers. But due to yearly ban of firecrackers, people use the safer way of merrymaking by banging on pots and pans, blowing horns or 'torotot' and even blowing car horns. Making noise is their way to greet the New Year and folks belief that it exorcises their surroundings of bad spirits and shoo away the bad lucks of the past year.

Photo credit: philstar.com

Many Filipinos also spend their New Year's Eve at the parks or places with New Year countdown parties organized by big TV Networks. They can watch and listen to different Filipino singers and celebrities while enjoying their own packed foods and waiting for the countdown with fireworks displays.

Other traditions and beliefs on Christmas Eve includes:

  • Wearing clothes with polka dots or other circular designs and preparing 12 circular fruits on the table like oranges, apples, grapes, and more. This symbolises coins and money and this practice believed to bring them more luck, money, and good fortune.

  • Children are also encouraged to jump at exactly 12 midnight to increase their height but this never happened to me as my height never increased after jumping. 🤣

  • All windows and doors are also open to let the blessings come in on the first day of the new year.

  • Food and water storage are full to prevent from hunger and scarcity and Filipino families believed that it will make them properous in the coming year.

  • Eating sticky foods like biko (glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk and sugar). They said that eating sticky foods will strengthen the family bond. The other belief says that stickiness is like a magnet that attracts good fortune.

  • Eating pansit or noodles during the New Year's Eve symbolises for longevity. This is essentially a Chinese belief that has been adopted by the Filipinos on their regional cuisines together with the belief surrounding them.

  • Abstaining from eating chicken and fish on New Year's Eve. These foods symbolises or are associated with food scarcity. Filipinos also have this idiom "Isang kahig, isang tuka," which literally means "one scratch, one peck." It is the chicken's way of eating that is attributed with hardship and poverty. Belief says that those who will eat chicken on New Year's Eve will become like the bird that has to scratch and peck all year around. 

  • The last but not the least, do not spend money on the first day of the year. This belief will lead to better financial management and those who will spend money on January 1 will immediately loss their money. So some Filipinos would rather just stay at home to avoid spending money.

These are just beliefs and nowadays including our family, we even like eating 'inihaw na bangus' (grilled milky fish) and chicken adobo or fried chicken on New Year's Eve. Positive mindset, hardwork, and perseverance, those are the qualities that will help you prosper in life.

  • Three Kings' Day

Photo credit: primer.com.ph

The Three King's Day or Araw ng Tatlong Hari falls on the first Sunday of January. It is also called The Epiphany and is the official end of Christmas season in the Philippines.

It is a dying tradition of Hispanic custom where children leave their shoes out by the door, so that the Three Kings can leave gifts like small amount of money or candies inside.

In Manila, there is usually a parade on the streets organized by the prestigious club Casino Español, where  the Three Kings dressed in royal robes and end at the clubhouse where children of the Spanish community are waiting and excited to receive some Christmas gifts. Some gifts are also prepared for the poor children and orphans.

Three King's day is not yet the end of the celebration, Filipinos still have festivals to celebrate on the first month of the new year.

  • Feast of the Black Nazarene

Photo credit: theatlantic.com

The miraculous Black Nazarene is borne in procession on January 9 after a novena in its honor. The procession starts from its original location in what is now Rizal Park to its present shrine in the Quiapo District of the city.

The Black Nazarene is a black statue of Jesus Christ brought to the Philippines in 1606. During the procession, the devotees will jostle one another trying to touch the Black Nazarene.

Photo credit: theatlantic.com

People believed that it has miraculous powers and anyone who touches the statue or even just grab on to the rope that pulls the carriage carrying the Black Nazaren will receive a miracle and will heal their illnesses.

  • Feast of the Santo Niño

Photo credit: philstar.com

The current date for the end of Christmas celebrations in the Philippines is the Feast of the Santo Niño (Christ Child) on the third Sunday of January. 

Photo credit: vigattintourism.com

Sinulog Festival is held in honor of the Christ Child and the celebrations are mostly focused in Cebu City. It is a festival where people danced for joy upon receiving the Santo Niño.

Photo credit: sugbo.ph

Some places around the country also have a water procesion for the Sto Niño. Our family as well as other Filipinos usually go the near beaches on the third Sunday of January to witness the said procession.


Christmas in the Philippines is a spirited combination of customs and traditions from American, Spanish and Chinese cultures. The preparation and celebration for this year may change
due to this pandemic crisis. I am not sure if there will be a Simbang Gabi, however, I am certain that there will still be carolings and Christmas day masses especially in the provinces. And this pandemic won't stop the Filipinos to celebrate Christmas day and New Year's Eve. Whatever happens, it is a celebration that brings Filipino families together!

Advance Merry Christmas everyone and a Happy New Year!

Thanks for reading @Jane


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3 years ago

Comments

When i don't think we can do our yearly traditions this year because there's still gcq but i want na mamaskooo!

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Maybe we can do that online too? 🤣🤣 online caroling, online aguinaldo etc ,🤣

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Onlins pamasko please 😂😂😂😂😂 i can withdraw from gcash too OwO

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Haha.pasimple ,🤣🤣 mangarolin ka muna 🤣🤣

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3 years ago

Umm.. 😳😳😳😳😳 when i find the confidence for that- ahahahahaha

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3 years ago

Haha.. You have to 🤣

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3 years ago

Nuuuu dapat ikaw din if i do OnO

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3 years ago

Mayb e sa pasko haha

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Edi sa pasko na lang din ako

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3 years ago

I hope that all the people will happily celebrate with their loved ones and celebrate their big festival together and take lots of prayers from each other, congratulations on your upcoming A very big festival.

$ 0.01
3 years ago

I will make an article about our festivals, so stay stuned 😊

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3 years ago

Yeah, sure Dear

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Mamamasko po

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Haha.. May carolings nb jan?

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3 years ago

Meron po, online, Haha thanks sa sponsorhip :)

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3 years ago

Dito tuloy na tuloy ang Simbang gabi pero limited lang daw, ewan ko pano nila macocontrol yung tao. 😅 Btw, advance. Merry Christmas Miss Jane. Nakakamiss yung makulay at maingay na Christmas nung nakaraang mga taon, hayss lakas makareminisce tong article mo.

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Kya nga. Namiss ko kya ginawa ko to

$ 0.00
3 years ago

Unfortunately, no carollings as of this year according to the IATF guidelines, i'm sure there will still be simbang gabi but with crowd control measures. Christmas this year is really different, this pandemic changes it. But of course we will always make it special with Christ in our hearts. Merry Christmas, Jane! I miss read.cash after some time of inactivity. I'm so glad i'm reading this article, it definitely makes me smile. Thanks!

$ 0.01
3 years ago

I missed you too san kb napunta? 🤣. Pro for sure sa mga baranggay meron yan

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3 years ago

Grabe ang saya basahin nitong article nito hahaha kumpleto na talaga eh😆napakasipag mo naman pong gumawa ng article ang haba grabe😆 anyways that is a compliment hehe. I'm thinking if there's a simbang gabi this year. Parang malungkot nga ang pasko ngayon kasi hanggang ngayon wala man lang nangangaroling na mga bata, and besides hindi kami makakauwi sa lola ko kasi baka makakuha pa kami ng covid habang nasa byahe, better to be safe. Ngayon lang yata kami magpapasko ng hindi kumpleto. Welp, Merry Christmas po Ate Jane!

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Walapa nmn 16.. Bka meron yan sa mga probinsya..advance merry xmas dn syo

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3 years ago

Sana nga po meron haha dito samin kasi probinsya dito pero wala mass gatherings. I don't know kung magkakaron ng simbang gabi.

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3 years ago

Pro ok narn kung wala kc bka padumami ang cases ng covid. Ok nmn mag simba anytime

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3 years ago

Yes nga po hehehe

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3 years ago

Advance Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We somehow have similar article though I did focus more on the traditions that most of us do during the holidays. I was able to complete simbang gabi either twice or thrice. I prefer attending the evening mass over the dawn.

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Same to you. Yeah i prefer attending the last evening mass on the 24th..

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3 years ago

Wonderful, so celebration of Christmas in your country is really an unending joy, it is amazing, thanks for sharing with us.

$ 0.01
3 years ago

As far as I know, Simbang gabi happens during evenings like 6 pm onwards. On the other hand, Misa de Gallo happens during dawn like 4 am to 5 am masses. Although I'm not really sure about that. 😅

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Oh yun pla yun 🤣🤣

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3 years ago

Yeah. I feel this athmosphere of Christmas. Thanks for an interesting article.

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3 years ago

Merry christmas jane! Im sure mamimiss mo ang christmas ng pinas. Ang inaabangan ko tlaga is yun puto bumbong. Dito kasi sa amin bibingka lang meron... Tapos nun bata pa ko, present ako lage sa caroling.. Nakakamiss yun mga panahong yun. Ngayon kasi, nakakaatress na pag christmas, kakaatress magbudget, hahahaha

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3 years ago

Matagal ko na miss te.. Kya nga minsan nililibang ko nlng self ko sa xmas music

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3 years ago

Your article is also equally as long.... Oh I almost lost it in there 😂..... The sheet cakes look so yummy.... Oh Philippines, invite me over after this Pandemic thing will you?

Good compilation. All together good read

$ 0.01
3 years ago

Sure.from what country are you?

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3 years ago

From Namibia, it's a country in outhern Africa, ever heard of us?

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3 years ago

This is best way for making money. I recommended highly it.

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3 years ago

Am i endorsing something here? 🤣

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3 years ago

I really like the way Filipino people celebrate this festival. I am inspired by your culture and traditions. What I found from your article is that Philippines people love to celebrate every festivals from their heart and they also want the environment to be colourful.

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3 years ago

True..there are a lot of festivals in our country..

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3 years ago

Grabe naman kung maka-post itong si Jane, wagas... ang haba. Anyways, I can't seem to stop myself from getting irritated with "Simbang Gabi." - Bakit yan tinatatawag ng ganyan eh di naman nangyayari sa gabi?

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3 years ago

Yun dn tanong ko nung bata ako 🤣🤣 pro ang ibang church naman sa gabi tlga ang mass

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3 years ago

Advance merry Christmas too. Nakakatulo naman ng laway mga foods. I missed the old Christmas when I was in the city. You can feel it in the air and surroundings. The lights and Christmas songs nanunuot sa kaloob looban ko.

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3 years ago

True.. Dto nga feel ko lng xmas kpg naririnig ko xmas songs.. Ibang iba feeling sa pinas

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3 years ago

Oo nga. Hai kkmiss talaga. I wondered if when will I visit the city again.

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3 years ago

Galing! Nabanggit mo lahat! Sa totoo lang never pa ako naka complete ng simbang gabi.. Hindi kasi ako pde mag lakad ng malayo so ending, d ako pde sumama.. Pero nakapag simbang gabi naman ako dati pero d lang straight.. At dito, yung caroling, yung iba, november pa lang, me pa caroling na sila.. Tas gabi gabi pumupunta yung mga bata.. Hehe.. Pero dahil covid ngayon so madalang na lang sila.. At masaya talaga pag pasko kahit kunti lang ang handa.. Basta sama sama lang buong family.

$ 0.02
3 years ago

Ako dn never pa nka complete..pro sa gabi ng 24 dun ako usually nagsisimba at sa new year...

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3 years ago

Advance merry christmas n happy new year din po sa inyo jn n yes po, we have a long christmas celebration po, miss the simbang gabi po kc dun sa amin po, literal na simbang gabi po, from 7-9pm po dati n also miss puto bumbong, ube halaya, biko po, lol n ung mga regalo din po though i never met my godmother n godfather po, ung mga kptid n mgulang q po ang ngreregalo po sa akin nung bata pa po aq, also experience mangaroling at habulin po ng aso before, lol, tpos ung pera eh binibigay q po sa nanay q pra pndagdag po sa pmbili n pnggastos po sa bahay

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3 years ago

My simbang gabi pb this year? D ko alam news jan

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3 years ago

Mron po cguro d2 po sa amin dhil 2times na po aq nkpgsimba n salamat po sa upvote, nkakamiss din po kmain ng champorado n mga kakanin po, lol

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3 years ago

Gawa ako champorado sa holiday ko

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3 years ago

Opo, msarap po un lalo na po kpag cacao o cocoa po gnmit nyo n condense n mlagkit po

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3 years ago

Ay yun gamit namn.si lola kc gumagawa tablea fr cacao seeds.. Sarap pati tsokolate drink.. Kakamiss 😭

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3 years ago

Opo, ms malasa po kc pg un gagamitin though ndi pa aq nktikim ung chocolate drink na gling po sa cacao o cocoa, lol, opo, nkakamiss po ung mga gnung pgkain po tlga

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3 years ago

My kids aren't that excited this Christmas, because according to my youngest daughter, Santa has Covid so he can't come,LOL! but will try to hype them up para they'll still enjoy Christmas ;)

We have simbang gabi here in Vigan, btw :)

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3 years ago

Hahaha nagbabasa lang ako ng comments then I read this😆 your daughter is funny and adorable😆

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3 years ago

She is indeed 😁😁😁

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3 years ago

🤣🤣 natawa ako jan.. Uumubo si santa habang sinasabi "huhuhu Merry Christmas " 🤣🤣

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3 years ago

Naku, delikado tayo jan pag umubo hahaha pass muna tayo kay Santa

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3 years ago

🤣🤣

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3 years ago

Wow, Ho ho ho marry Christmas 🎄❤️ may this brings to you nothing but joy and happiness 💜🎄

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3 years ago

Thank you. Merry Christmas too

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3 years ago

Merry Christmas @Jane! 🤶🎅🎄

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3 years ago

Same to you te

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3 years ago