As with most Filipinos, I love the Christmas season. I just adore the spirit of the holidays: Christmas carols playing all around, the cool air the last months of the year brings, celebrating with family, and of course, the Christmas story. But one other thing that makes Christmas beautiful is the lights. I don’t know about you, but when the lights are combined with instrumental music, I can’t help but shed a tear from the overwhelming feeling of joy.
What’s great is that these sights and sounds are not just limited to streets, but whole attractions. Just imagine the glee on your children’s faces when they see these beautifully illuminated places. So to make this season a truly unforgettable one, we’re rounding up some Christmas attractions that you and your family can go to in and near Metro Manila.
This is one of the best known Christmas attractions within the Metro. Featuring a lights and sounds show, this year’s Festival of Lights features a 3-part medley of Filipino Christmas tracks, big band-style carols, and even K-Pop dance beats. What’s more, the park also offers other interactive attractions, such as the Wish Upon a Light, where you can write your wishes and have them displayed on the LED screen. Your kids would also have fun running around and chasing the courtyard floor projections. Entrance is free so everyone can come and enjoy. Shows happen from 6pm-10pm and will run until January 14, 2024.
Photo courtesy of Make it Makati on Facebook
When traveling up north, Lakeshore is best known as a stopover. But it’s more than just a stopover! The park in Lakeshore is home to one of the biggest Christmas attractions. Making a point that Christmas starts early in the Philippines, their Magical Holiday Park opened already last September. For a ₱50 entrance fee, guests are treated to an array of lights, IG-worthy photo spots, and even a fireworks display. The park is open from 4pm-10pm Monday to Thursday, and 4pm-12am Friday to Sunday.
Photo courtesy of Lakeshore Philippines on Facebook
For those in the metro, Cubao is one of the easiest places to visit to feel the Christmas spirit. Several years ago, people would flock to COD, a mall within Cubao that showed one of the best-known holiday attractions in the 90’s. However, even though COD is no longer existing today, the city is still home to one of the largest (literally) and brightest Christmas attractions, the iconic giant Christmas tree. Apart from that, visiting Cubao this year is like taking a trip down memory lane with the comeback of the 90’s theme park, Fiesta Carnival. The theme park will only open for a limited time for the season, so make the most out of the trip to this city center.
Photo courtesy of @aranetacity on Instagram
One of the best known holiday attractions up north can be found in Baguio Country Club. This year, their World of Fun Christmas Village takes on a carnival theme, so you and your family can take pictures in circus-inspired booths filled with dazzling lights. The park also has a snow show to bring the white Christmas feels.
The Baguio Country Club Christmas Village is open from 5pm-10pm daily, with an entrance fee of ₱75 for adults and ₱50 for kids. Pets are also welcome, as long as they have a leash.
Photo courtesy of Baguio City Guide on Facebook
Down south, Nuvali offers a fountain show that deviates from the traditional holiday themes. This season, Nuvali’s Fountain of Lights presents Seaside Serenade: Muses and Creatures. One can only imagine mermaids, colorful fish, whales and other sea creatures dancing around in this magical and illuminating show. The show only runs every Friday to Sunday until January 14, 6pm-9pm.
Photo courtesy of Nuvali on Facebook