Parol

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A parol is a Filipino Christmas lantern. It is a bright, decorative symbol of the season and is usually shaped like a five-pointed star. Traditionally it was made from bamboo and Japanese paper and lit by candles or oil lamps, though today many parols use electric lights.

History and meaning
- The word parol comes from the Spanish farol, meaning lantern. It became tied to Christmas during the Spanish colonial period.
- Early parols were simple, rectangular shapes made with white paper and candles. By the 1830s, they grew more diverse with folded paper designs.
- The five-pointed star shape, symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem, became common during the American colonial era.
- Parols are closely linked to Christmas traditions in the Philippines, including the Panunulúyan pageant and the Simbang Gabi nine-day dawn masses. After celebrations, parols were often hung outside homes as decorations and stayed up through Epiphany.

Construction and design
- A traditional parol has a bamboo frame covered with colored paper. The classic form is a star with two decorative tails.
- Modern parols use many materials, such as plastic, capiz shells, glass, beads, and metal, and can be very small or very large.
- Pampanga has a distinctive style with several layers in the lantern, including the central drum (tambor), elbow shapes (siku-siku), a circular middle rim (palimbun), and decorative edges (puntetas). This region is famous for large, electric, rotating parols.
- In Pampanga, the giant lanterns can be huge and are designed to “dance” to music during competitions like the Giant Lantern Festival.

Use and cultural significance
- In the Philippines, the parol is a defining symbol of Filipino Christmas. It is usually put up on homes and streets as early as September and kept through January.
- People hold parol-making contests and festivals, with Pampanga’s Giant Lantern Festival being the best-known example.
- The parol tradition has also spread overseas, where Filipinos display and make parols in communities abroad.

Overseas and modern twists
- Parols are popular in Filipino communities abroad. In Austria, parols are featured at Vienna’s Christmas markets.
- In the United States, Filipino communities hold parol workshops and parol-related celebrations in cities like Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Canada and other countries with Filipino communities also use parols as festive decorations.

Today, the parol remains a beloved and recognizable emblem of Christmas in the Philippines and among Filipinos worldwide.