Why Employers Should Consider Giving Christmas Basket and Hamper Than Giving Cash?

Pack of Snacks from the Client or Account that I am working with.

In the Philippines, Christmas is the most awaited season in the whole year. This is because it is time for giving and spending time with families. And gift-giving is the tradition of individuals that added the excitement.

Employees in certain companies are usually looking forward to receiving Christmas Basket from the employer. Christmas-Basket giving is similar to Gift-Giving tradition but only differs on what's inside the basket. It is a traditional gift containing small nonperishable food items, particularly seasonal favorites such as fruitcake or plum pudding, chocolate, nuts, jams, biscuits, honey, smoked or dried meats, ham, wine, spaghetti noodles, and cheese that can be prepared during Noche Buena.

The non-alcoholic drink is given by the company where I am currently working.

In the US, it is called Hamper. It refers to one of several related basket-like items. In primarily British usage, it refers to a wicker basket, usually large, that is used for the transport of items, often food. But nowadays, it is now being boxed; you will still see baskets being used but it is for aesthetic and packaging reasons.

Honestly, the feeling of receiving a Christmas Basket from someone - e.g employer, friends, or relatives, is totally more fun and exciting in comparison to receiving a cash or gift certificate. It is like, you can feel the effort from the giver because it takes time to buy groceries and have them packed. It is a great way to let someone know you’re thinking of them and how important they are. Every hamper brings such joy and blessing. It helps us feel more cared for and loved. 

In a study, “There is an emotional lift when searching for the gift.” - Devin A. Byrd, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences at South University — Savannah.

There is an enormous sense of satisfaction when seeing the expression on the face of someone you’ve given a gift to. A way to express feelings, giving reinforces appreciation and acknowledgment of each other. The feelings expressed mainly depend on the relationship between the giver and recipient.

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No matter how Small or Big, how expensive or not - as long as it's given to you with love, you must be thankful.

Box of Grocery Items from Mandaluyong City Local Government Unit as Christmas Basket for 2021

👪 How To Play Traditional and Indigenous Games in the Philippines? (Laro ng Lahi)

In this video, I'll be featuring some of Filipino Games that I used to play when I was young.

Doktor Kwak Kwak please help us. 

Doktor Kwak Kwak is a game that children are fond of. You can play it in school, street, and fields. This game is composed of 5 or more players. Actually playing this game with more players will be more challenging. The more challenging the game, it will be more fun. It needs concentration, speed, and strength to play this game.

The mechanics of the game is simple. First, to know who will be DoKtor Kwak Kwak, you can play elimination by “jack en poy” or “bato bato pik” and the loser will be Doktor Kwak Kwak. Next, He will turn back so that other players formed a circle and start to tangled or twisted their bodies and positions in a way of entering under the hands or passing above the hands of co-players while sitting down and keep their hands holding. Then, after they already finished the twisting part, they will call Doktor Kwak Kwak by saying “Doktor Kwak Kwak please help us”. Lastly, he will come and solve or arrange the twisting part. After he arranged it, he will cut by his hand the circle and other players will run. The player who will be caught by the next Doktor Kwak Kwak.

This game can offer us a number of psychological benefits in addition to physical benefits. It can also help us to communicate effectively like in the twisting part of the game. This kind of game is cheaper than playing online games. It can enhance also our self-confidence and develop our mental ability. It can also allow ourselves to have quality time in our friends or capable family member in playing this game together.

BAGSAK TSINELAS GAME or STARFINISH.

 - Honestly, this game is new to me - you can watch the mechanic in the vlog of Kulas #BecomingFilipino - https://youtu.be/cKf-gX5iGC0

LUKSONG BAKA.

Loosely translated in English, as “Jump over the Cow.”, is a traditional Filipino game that originated from Bulacan, it involves a minimum of 3 players and a maximum of 10 players. It involves the players jumping over the person called the "Baka", and the main goal of the players is to successfully jump over the "Baka" without touching or falling over him/her.

How to play luksong baka?

a). At the start of the game, there should be one player that should be called "Taya" (It') or in this game the "Bakang lala" (Cow).

b). The players should avoid contact or falling over the "Baka" player while jumping over.

c). The "Baka" player should start with a bend-down kneeling position (A "Baka" player bends over with his hands placed on his knees).

d). All players are to jump over the "Baka" until all the players have jumped. Once the 1st set of jumping over the "Baka" is done, the "Baka" player's position will slowly rise up after jumping over the "Baka" player.

e). Only the hands of the jumper may touch the back of the person who is bent over. If a player fails to avoid contact or falls over the "Baka", he/she will replace the "Baka" player with a bend-down kneeling position, and the game continues until all players decide to end the game.

HABULANG BULAG.

JAK EN POY.

Rock-paper-scissors (or rock, paper, scissors) is a zero-sum hand game usually played between two people, in which each player simultaneously forms one of three shapes with an outstretched hand. These shapes are "rock" (a simple fist), "paper" (a flat hand), and "scissors" (a fist with the index and middle fingers together, forming a V). The game has only two possible outcomes other than a tie: a player who decides to play rock will beat another player who has chosen scissors ("rock crushes scissors") but will lose to one who has played paper ("paper covers rock"); a play of paper will lose to a play of scissors ("scissors cut paper"). If both players choose the same shape, the game is tied and is usually immediately replayed to break the tie. Other names for the game in the English-speaking world include roshambo and other orderings of the three items, sometimes with "rock" being called "stone"

SIATO.

Siato - a popular Filipino game between two or more players. Two sticks are used to play this game. One is about two feet long, and the other one is about half a foot long. A small hole in the ground is made where the smaller stick will be placed with one end at the bottom and the other end sticking out. The player will hit the smaller stick with the longer one so that the smaller stick flies to the air. At mid-air, the player then hits again the smaller stick with the longer one. This is repeated three times. Whoever hits it to the farthest distance wins the game. As punishment, the loser will be forced to shout the word "siato" without interruption while running back to the original starting place.

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Boholanos’ Unique Cultures and Practices in Celebrating Fiesta.

San Isidro in the Province of Bohol is my birthplace. This is my motherland since birth up until I graduated in High School. And since I grew up in this place, I am very knowledgeable what are the cultures and practices of the *Isidorian people specially in celebrating the town fiesta.

10 Things on what to expect when attending Fiesta in San Isidro.

1. It is a well-prepared event.



Town Fiesta is the most awaited part of the year rather than Christmas or any event. All the inhabitants are preparing the entire year just for this big happening. In fact the preparation starts right after the celebration of the preceding fiesta. Some saved money for it; some are nurturing livestock (e.g Pig, Cows, **Carabao and Chicken).  And it’s funny because if you’ll meet Isidorian people in a random setting, they will already inform you or invite you to go to their houses on upcoming fiesta knowing that there are still remaining 12 months before the celebration.

2. The Government and The Church became ONE.


We all knew, the Philippine constitution emphasized-the Government and the Church are two separate entities. But in San Isidro during Fiesta, this rule will be voided. Both the church and the local government unit (LGU) became one in reaching a goal – to have an extremely vibrant FIESTA (whatever will happen) .The St. Isidore Parish Church will conduct a fund raising event for the fiesta and the LGU as well.

3. League of Basketball exists during Fiesta.

A month or two before the fiesta, each Barangay will organize their own basketball team headed by their ****Barangay Chairman and Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Group) to present their banner in a League of Basketball. It is already part of the Isidorian Culture. The said game usually runs in a month or two; whoever the team that will win in grand slam will be joining the championship round which usually happened during fiesta.

4. Disco in an open field is a MUST.



According to Isidorian, fiesta will be boring without disco. It is an event that an open party will be conducted in an open field like plaza or anything that can accommodate a massive crowd. With a minimal amount of entrance fee, you can indulge the provincial way of partying. Most of the crowd are coming from San Isidro itself, from other towns or from greater Manila area. The event will usually be held twice – besperas night and fiesta night; this is also a fund raising event for the town development.



5. PORK LECHON is a symbol of Abundance.

Pork Lechon during fiesta is very symbolic. Households who will prepare a Lechon are those who can only afford. Indeed, it associates of wealth.  Some purchase Lechon from the stores in Tagbilaran but majority of the houses; they’ll roast their own nurtured pig as a sign of abundance. It is also a way of giving thanks to the whole year blessings.

6. A household without a single piece of pork during Fiesta will be cursed.

Yes, even those households that are belong in “below poverty line”; they will forcefully find ways just to have pork during fiesta. If you promised to slaughter your nurtured pig for the upcoming fiesta, make sure to fulfill it, because if not, it is believed that it brings you bad luck to your business or family on the next year.

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7. The SOCIO – concept.

If you’re not capable of having your own lechon or slaughtering your nurtured pig because of scarcity and you plan to sell it,  that is still fine.

 In San Isidro, a SOCIO exists. It is a Bayanihan style (cooperative) of certain organizations that collected a definite amount at the start of the year from the members; and lends it with corresponding interest rate. When fiesta comes, the earned money will be bought pigs, slaughtered and divided into how many members contributed at the start of the year. So it’s advisable to join a lot of socio groups especially if you don’t have a backyard piggery. SOCIO groups can be a faculty association, driver’s association, church association , market vendor association, carpenter’s association  or you can even create your own SOCIO group as long as the money that are collected earn in 12 months.

8. BRING HOUSE practice.

“Bring House” is a practice during fiesta, wherein the “celebrating household” will provide giveaways to “visiting relatives and friends” from other places, to be brought to their houses.  BRING HOUSE must be in a plastic bag and it can be uncooked pork or leftover foods (suman or bibingka) from the fiesta. In fact the “celebrating household” already anticipated and allocated a portion from the prepared foods for the “bring house”.

Indeed, it is somewhat a form of paying debt of gratitude because whenever you’ll attend a fiesta in another town, 100% you’ll be going back home with a plastic bag as well. However, you just have to return the favour when the fiesta comes in your own town.

9. ***TAGAY as a form of respect.

When you attend a fiesta in San Isidro, be prepared to get drunk because when you visit innumerable houses, they will offer you a glass of coconut wine. Offering a glass of coco wine to the random visitors is a gesture of welcoming them inside your house even if you don’t know them at all. Indeed, accepting the glass when you’re a random visitor is a form of respect to the owner of the house.
My experience was ridiculous, I’ve visited innumerable relatives in one day and I have to drink one glass in each house. I wasn’t prepared for it and I was slowly become dizzy as the day started to end. I even broke my three-day old Samsung S8+ because of drunkenness.



10. Fascinated with visitors from Manila.

This culture, I can really understand why? If you’re coming back home to Bohol from Manila during fiesta, you’re treated like a celebrity. All their attention will be yours – both hospitality and gossip. In my experience when I went back home after 15 years to attend the fiesta, all of my relatives that I visited were happy to see me.

Indeed, they have this thinking “ Ang yaman mo na “, without their awareness that I also suffered scarcity here in Manila.  If you are also coming from Manila, make sure to bring a symbolic pasalubong –  BWESKIT.



Truly, Bohol culture is distinctive. There might some similarities to other provinces yet Province of Bohol is still a place that I find unique. That province might not that well-developed but I am not ashamed of it; without Bohol there will be no Tansyong living in Manila.

*Isidorian - Inhabitants in the town of San Isidro

** Carabao - Water Buffalo

***Tagay - Cheers , a gesture of giving a glass of wine to a guest.

****Barangay - The smallest unit of Government. 

Thanksgiving Day in the Philippines

Thanksgiving by merely offer a small prayer of thanks to the Lord and celebrate with a feast and without official date and month thats how Fililipino practice "Thanks Giving" or simply Pasasalamat (Photo from Wikipedia)

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We observed the holidays during November like the All Saint’s Day (Nov.1) and All Soul’s Day (Nov. 2), and Bonifacio Day (Nov.30), but if you are working in an American company particularly in the BPO sector, for every fourth Thursday in November they observed and celebrated Happy Thanksgiving Day which some companies will declare a non-working Holiday since most of the people living in the United States celebrate annually the most important holiday ever since the first colonist from Europe landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts during the 17th Century.

 In the Philippines, American expatriates will make preparation in celebrating the most important holiday of the year and will flock to the groceries where Turkey the main feast is available in every cold storage and even recipes for Apple Pie, Pumpkin soup and other American dishes is also available.  Filipinos living in the United States also celebrate Thanksgiving Day and relatives from all over State will visit their family and friends and feast to the most important day of November.

Sculptures at Fort Bonifacio  Taguig b y Ferdinand R. Cacnio as form of “Pasasalamat” (Photo byAmado L. Castro, Jr.)

But there is one question in mind,  Do we Celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the Philippines and how?  Yes we do celebrate Happy Thanksgiving, but in a different setting.  Unlike in the United States, that has a certain date and month and declared a National holiday, in Filipino tradition we celebrate Thanksgiving by merely offer a small prayer of thanks to the Lord and celebrate with a feast and without official date and month.  If you are one of the elites in the society will celebrate with the Lechon Baka or Lechon de Leche as the main feast, but for simple celebration any feast that is acceptable as long we offer our thanks to our significant accomplishments.

We celebrate thanksgiving by means of having surpassed an ordeal and other important events such as: 

 1) Graduation not only in colleges, but also in High School elementary and even preparatory, since it is the most important occasion not only for the child who graduated and finish his or her studies, but for the parent’s hardship of sacrificing their lives no matter what manner of job they have to inflict to as long as their children finish their studies and move to a better future.

2)  Passing the Board or Bar Exams is another achievement to only few who succeeded in obtaining a license and will take a Hippocratic Oath (not Hypocrisy Oath to some professions) and will have the most grandiose celebration and will invite all the members of the barangay for this egoistical event, while others will just offer prayers and donate wheelchairs to the one who needed the most. 

Photo by Dave Donovan

3) Company Promotions sometimes is just more of a shallow approach of ‘I’m here you’re down there,” we do not know what manner or the cause of his or her promotion but sometime they feel like celebrating not through feast but through gimmicks and blowouts.  

4)  Success in business is particularly that the Boss or the Manager will treat his or her subordinates a small feast like ordering a pizza and if glamorous will call catering services and of course prayers were also included in the program.

OFW Homecoming (photo by Aileen Adalid)

5)  Homecoming is most important especially to the love ones who is working abroad. Or Manny Paquiao Homecoming and Meagan Young Homecoming

6)  Having a new car was really something for the middle or working class Filipinos, because owing a brand new car is not a common trait to the Filipinos because of the socio-economic issues in the Philippines. Whether is a company issued and purchased by the hard-working individual, we tend to celebrate by presenting the new car to the priest to be blessed and go out and celebrating.

A native Filipino harvesting
 (photo by http://filipinolifeinpictures.wordpress.com)

7)  Harvest time, farmers in the rural Philippines whenever they made a bountiful harvest, most of the communities will share what they can offer in the table and the whole community will start celebrating with a prayer and bountiful feast.



If you notice that Filipinos no matter what type of event, they often start the celebration with a prayer of thanks, which is a genuine trait of every hard working Filipinos no matter what level of society he or she belongs to.  Even before the Spanish came, ancient Filipinos were not stranger for thanksgiving whenever they had a good harvest, winning a war, and of course the special day for the Datu of the tribe.

Thanksgiving will always be a part of our culture even before the Americans came and introduce a type of Thanksgiving in which Turkey and Apple Pie was introduced in islands during the American Colonial period.

Rommel Caguiat
Guest Writer

(Disclaimer: Images being used courtesy of Google. )