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Family bonds are strong in the Filipinos. If ever there are reasons to celebrate a certain occasion, no matter how insignificant, Filipinos take the opportunity to have reunions and family gatherings. These celebrations include not just the immediate family but other relatives as well, such as uncles, aunties, cousins, nephews, nieces, and grandparents.  ~Life is blooey only if U make it one~
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For example, Filipinos love to celebrate different occasions that include, among other occasions, the passing of a state board examination of a member of the family, job promotions, "bienvenidas" or "welcome back" celebrations (e.g. the arrival of someone after working some time in another country), "despedidas" or "send-off or farewell parties", such as when a family member would live or work abroad, and even town fiestas, where an entire town celebrates the feast of its patron saint. ~Life is blooey only if U make it one~
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Filipinos love fiestas. "Fiesta" means feast and this custom was adapted from the Spaniards, who introduced Christianity in the Philippines. The fiesta is an occasion to give thanks for all the blessings that a town has received. ~Life is blooey only if U make it one~
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Of course, Filipinos also love to celebrate thanksgiving parties, such as when a family member got cured of a long illness, or simply when a family likes to just thank God for the many blessings that have been bestowed on them. ~Life is blooey only if U make it one~
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Celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, even death anniversaries, baptisms or christening, Christmas and Easter, are standard celebrations which include the entire extended family. For example, I would not be surprised if suddenly, all my relatives visit my home during my birthday or when they come over for Christmas. ~Life is blooey only if U make it one~
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Celebrating Christmas in the Philippines is probably the longest in the entire world. The spirit of Christmas usually fills the air during the "ber" months -- September, October, November and December, and usually until the first few weeks of January. ~Life is blooey only if U make it one~
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Come September, one would already hear Christmas carols being aired over the radio. Malls and department stores would start their "Christmas" sale and some would even go as far as having Christmas decorations by September. ~Life is blooey only if U make it one~
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Everyone looks forward to Christmas as this would be a great occasion to visit families in the province, especially if someone spends the entire year working in a distant city. Many companies usually go on vacation beginning a week before Christmas, December 25, until the first week of January. ~Life is blooey only if U make it one~
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During the Christmas season, it is not unusual for someone to attend several Christmas parties. There is a Christmas party with office friends, another party with high school classmates or even university batchmates, parties with the members of one's sports club, company sponsored parties, and of course, several family Christmas parties. ~Life is blooey only if U make it one~
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During Christmas, I usually watch my diet since there is usually a lot of eating! -------------------------------------- Elmer Anthony Olaer is an avid traveller, writer and webmaster of A2 Philippine travel and vacation website. He is also the webmaster of Ola Macau Travel and the China Hong Kong travel web sites. ~Life is blooey only if U make it one~
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July 30, 2006 How happy are Filipinos? If you can prove the Danes are the happiest people on earth you can prove anything The latest fatuous index of national “happiness” has gloomy Denmark chortling at the top of the pile and the Philippines languishing at 78, just behind “the land of smiles”, Thailand, at 76. The creator of this nonsensical project, an academic at the University of Leicester in the UK, has even provided a map of world “happiness”. Love your haters, they're your biggest fan!
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Earlier this happy month, another guide to global bliss, the “Happy Planet Index”, had the island nation of Vanuatu in first place, with the Philippines a respectable 17 (Denmark was in 99th place). These wildly differing results can be partly explained by methodological differences. The Leicester index places the highest value on health statistics, while the New Economics Foundation (compilers of the “Happy Planet Index”  concentrates on “life satisfaction”, life expectancy and environmental footprint.Love your haters, they're your biggest fan!
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But isn’t the whole idea of indices to measure “happiness” nonsense? How can you conjure up objective variables to measure a subjective feeling like happiness? You can compile all the data you like, but in the end just look around you. That’s really the best way to figure out who is happy and who is not. Love your haters, they're your biggest fan!
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To start the ball rolling, the “torn and frayed dismal planet index” includes China, Britain, Russia, Cuba, and, yes, Denmark in the dark countries. On the other hand, people in Thailand, Italy, Ecuador, Australia, and the Philippines seem, in general, pretty glad to be alive. Love your haters, they're your biggest fan!
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You can argue with my selection of countries of course, that’s fine by me. Just don’t tell me that, say, Denmark, “ought” to be happy because of its fabulous health statistics. I have a couple of wonderful Danish friends, but when I visited Copenhagen people would turn away when I asked for directions. Some friends of mine were virtually assaulted when they stepped into a cycle lane. And let’s not even mention dogme movies, Søren Kierkegaard, or Hamlet. Denmark, the happiest country in the world? That’s just hilarious. Love your haters, they're your biggest fan!
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Which brings us to our island home. Let’s face it, Pinoys have just about every reason you can think of to be miserable. Yet the crowds of people in jeepney hell under the Taft–EDSA intersection just can’t stop laughing and joking. It’s raining and I’m getting soaked? Ha, ha, uproarious! Crossed the road and nearly got run over–what a hoot! Love your haters, they're your biggest fan!
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It seems there is nothing that will stop Filipinos from having a good time. Their objective circumstances seem to have little to do with it ‒ Filipinos just are happy (illogical or just plain nutty though that might be). I’m gonna try to figure out why that is in a subsequent post, but in the meantime if you have any ideas just leave me a wee comment below. Love your haters, they're your biggest fan!
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My conclusion is Denmark subjectively feels happy in terms of health, wealth and wisdom ... but happiness is measured way beyond those things. Values, family relations, culture and social conditions are to be considered as well. In this regard this is where we Filipinos rank higher. Love your haters, they're your biggest fan!
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3/17/2007 12:25 am |
July 30, 2006 How happy are Filipinos? If you can prove the Danes are the happiest people on earth you can prove anything The latest fatuous index of national “happiness” has gloomy Denmark chortling at the top of the pile and the Philippines languishing at 78, just behind “the land of smiles”, Thailand, at 76. The creator of this nonsensical project, an academic at the University of Leicester in the UK, has even provided a map of world “happiness”. GOD saw U w/o a Pretty Friend: so He created ME 
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3/17/2007 12:27 am |
Earlier this happy month, another guide to global bliss, the “Happy Planet Index”, had the island nation of Vanuatu in first place, with the Philippines a respectable 17 (Denmark was in 99th place). These wildly differing results can be partly explained by methodological differences. The Leicester index places the highest value on health statistics, while the New Economics Foundation (compilers of the “Happy Planet Index” concentrates on “life satisfaction”, life expectancy and environmental footprint.GOD saw U w/o a Pretty Friend: so He created ME
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3/17/2007 12:29 am |
But isn’t the whole idea of indices to measure “happiness” nonsense? How can you conjure up objective variables to measure a subjective feeling like happiness? You can compile all the data you like, but in the end just look around you. That’s really the best way to figure out who is happy and who is not. GOD saw U w/o a Pretty Friend: so He created ME
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3/17/2007 12:31 am |
To start the ball rolling, the “torn and frayed dismal planet index” includes China, Britain, Russia, Cuba, and, yes, Denmark in the dark countries. On the other hand, people in Thailand, Italy, Ecuador, Australia, and the Philippines seem, in general, pretty glad to be alive. GOD saw U w/o a Pretty Friend: so He created ME
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The ability to see things on a positive side is one indicator of being happy, not discounting material deprivation, but how to make do with what is available and being grateful about it adds to one's feeling of being happy! LaCE ... LOVE and CARE EVERYDAY
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Yes that is true, because happiness is more of an individual feeling, depending on what makes a person feel happy! LaCE ... LOVE and CARE EVERYDAY
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Happiness stems from one's appreciation of the BEAUTY of LIFE itself! LaCE ... LOVE and CARE EVERYDAY
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