ARTS - PAROLE STARS WITH MIA

 Kumukutikutitap: The Filipino Christmas Spirit in IES Cardenal Lopez de Mendoza

The Filipino Christmas season is considered to be the longest in the world. It begins in September, where malls start to put up Christmas decorations and you can already hear Christmas songs playing wherever you go. Along with this early celebration come various family traditions, such as setting up Christmas trees and hanging the parol in our homes.

The parol is a star-shaped lantern that is commonly displayed during Christmas. In fact, this distinctive lantern even has its own festival in the Philippines, where each village creates a giant parol to be displayed throughout the town. Beyond its aesthetic purpose, the parol also represents the spirit of unity and togetherness during the Christmas season. Families gather to build them, students collaborate on their designs, and entire communities dedicate their time and effort to creating beautiful masterpieces.

Last December, this tradition of parol-making was introduced to the students of the Bilingual Section of IES Cardenal López de Mendoza. Throughout the month, students worked on creating their own parols while also improving their English proficiency by researching the origins of the tradition and following tutorials on how to make one. This activity also complemented their current lessons on geometric figures. Furthermore, working in groups strengthened the students’ teamwork, creativity, and camaraderie.

The parols made by the students are now proudly displayed in the hallways of the 

Bilingual Section, bringing color, light, and a touch of Filipino culture to the school. Through this project, the spirit of kumukutikutitap (the joyful twinkling of Christmas lights) continues to shine, reminding everyone that Christmas is not only about decorations, but also about community, collaboration, and shared traditions.