The traditional Christmas lantern or parol (said to be derived from the Spanish word farol, meaning lantern) is the basic décor in every Filipino home during the holiday season. It has been around the country as early as 1800s and depicts symbolism of the Christian faith—the north star or Star of Bethlehem that guided the Three Kings who brought gifts to the newborn Jesus Christ.



During the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, Filipino farmers and fisherfolks were allowed to attend the nine-day pre-Christmas novena mass at dawn before going to the fields or the seas praying for a bountiful harvest and catch. Parol was originally intended to light the path of the attendees of the simbang gabi or Dawn Mass as there was no electricity then. Nowadays, parol symbolizes the Filipino Christmas spirit and can be found in homes of Filipinos (both in the Philippines and abroad), schools, workplaces, and other public places in the country and its presence signifies the beginning of a festive season.



The Filipino Christmas lantern is a traditional five-point star parol made of bamboo sticks and papel de japon or cellophane (a variation of which is a five-point star enclosed in a circle with two tails). The process of making one is not very complicated that it has been among grade schoolers’ Christmas project in schools.



The first step in making the parol is the assembling of the star’s frame using ten long bamboo sticks and five short sticks with length depending on the size and thickness of the parol one wishes to make (approximately 35 to 60 centimeters long and 12 centimeters thick), pakong bakya or nails often used in making wooden clogs, and strings or wires. The longer sticks are divided into two sets since the goal is to make the two faces of the parol with each star-shaped façade made of five long bamboo sticks assembled in an overlapping manner and tying the ends with string or wire. The two star-shaped façades of the parol are then tied together with the five shorter bamboo sticks propped and secured using pakong bakya along the five corners of the pentagon-shaped core. The shorter bamboo sticks provide support at the core of the structure, giving room for candle or light that can be placed inside the frame. A sufficient length of wire is twisted into a loop and attached to the topmost edge of the parol for hanging.




The next step is wrapping the star frame using papel de japon (tissue paper) or cellophane (plastic film). The preferred material is cut into specific shapes: five narrow diamonds to cover the sides and ten triangles to cover the five arms of the parol, leaving the pentagon-shaped center uncovered for the placement of a small candle or light (another variation is fully-covered parol with an electric bulb inside). The traditional adhesive used in securing the cutout pieces of papel de japon or cellophane is a paste made of cooked and thickened starch but other types of glues or adhesives may be used as well. The final step is the cutting and attaching of the tails. The lantern’s tails are also made of papel de japon that were folded into a narrow triangle and alternately cut halfway along the two long sides.



The Philippine parol has evolved continuously in terms of material, form, and design, as contemporary fashion and trends have warranted it. Besides bamboo sticks and Japanese paper, shells, electric lights, indigenous materials such as abaca, jute or rattan, and recyclable materials are now used in making modern-day parol. At present, the Philippine parol has become an inspiration for festivities or celebrations such as the Lantern Festival of Pampanga (the province being the lantern capital of the country) and the Lantern Parade of the University of the Philippines featuring huge lit lanterns and floats.




The parol, whether traditional or having a state-of-the-art design, became the most iconic symbol of Philippine Christmas