The Christmas Season has begun

Witches, goblins, jack-o-lanterns and even zombies are all in uproar. They have suddenly been tossed into a bottomless pit and now see themselves fading into oblivion. Why so? This is because the Christmas Season is now officially open in the Philippines.

Ergo, if that is the case, then what will happen to Halloween? Take note, Oct. 31, the eve of All Saints Day, is the only day during the entire year when those creatures believed to be denizens of darkness are welcome to roam the earth. It is the time for them and their believers to get into mischief without being made accountable for their pranks.

But then Christmas came earlier than expected this year. And it is all because Jose Mari Chan has decided to sing his Christmas in Our Hearts live while in concert last Sept. 1. That event officially launched Christmastime in the Philippines.

Now, Filipinos simply love the Christmas Season. It is universally acknowledged that we have the longest Yuletide celebration. In the past that meant starting with the Misa de Gallo on Dec. 16 and ending on the feast of the Magi on Jan. 6. But then Christmas in Our Hearts came along and that song changed everything. It made the celebration even longer.

Christmas in Our Hearts was composed by Chan, one of our most successful and most durable song artists with words by Rina Caniza. He is primarily known as a crooner for the younger set with hit songs like Afterglow, Can We Just Stop and Talk a While, Refrain, Beautiful Girl and many others. He is no stranger to Platinum selling records but I do not think he ever envisioned that Christmas in Our Hearts, which he recorded as a duet with his daughter Lisa, would be his biggest hit of all.

The blend of music and melody in Christmas in Our Hearts effortlessly captures the happy spirit of Christmas. You hear the song and your surroundings gain sparkles, your heart overflows with happiness and you get this urge to be nice and good and generous. Just like what happens to you during Christmas days.

It is quite likely that local shop-owners noticed that oh-so positive effect that Christmas in Our Hearts has on people and of how sales would spike up whenever the song is played. So little by little they started playing the song in their stores and in the malls earlier and earlier and earlier….until it became an annual joke.

Christmas is coming. Jose Mari Chan will again come out of hiding. That was really ridiculous given the fact that Chan was around singing his other songs all year long. Admit it though, the jokes, the cartoons, the memes are fun and are now part of the Pinoy’s Christmas celebration.

Something changed this year though. Instead of surreptitiously peeping out of corners or hiding behind masks, Jose Mari Chan, came out, faced his audience and sang Christmas in Our Hearts live last Sept. 1. The after-effect is simply joyous.

Drive around Metro Manila and you will see glittering displays at the malls, brightly lighted trees on the streets and most of all Christmas sounds all around. I heard the Santa Claus theme Christmas All Over the World playing on the radio. Laufey sang her beautiful Christmas ballad during her recent concert. And I have been hearing Chan singing his 34-year-old song Christmas in Our Hearts here there and everywhere.

So what happens now to Halloween. Not much going for it, sound-wise. Maybe The Nightmare before Christmas soundtrack or that old ditty Monster Mash. Jamie Lee Curtis with three Halloween flicks is still good for some screams. Trick or treating will still be fun and I am sure the stores will have this little corner for the Spiderman costumes, the witches’ hats and the plastic pumpkins.

Sorry Halloween guys but Christmas in Our Hearts has stolen the march from you.