Franz Lenard Torres 
Tok tok tok, nangangaroling po, Tradies!
Bright melodies, twinkling rhythms, and angelic voices accompanied by the warm glow of the parols. Usually in groups, carrying instruments of various sizes as they walk from house to house and door to door to spread joy through carols foretelling the delight the season brings.
As December unfolds before our very eyes, the countdown to Christmas day slowly trickles down. We are enveloped by honey-like harmonies of carolers, knocking on our doors to sing their own renditions of our favorite choruses.
Caroling has been practiced since the time of Spanish colonization. It began as a choir performing villancicos (Spanish Christmas carols) in Spain. The Philippines progressively embraced it as our own custom after 333 years as a Spanish colony.
It has been a quintessential paskong-pinoy must because Filipinos enjoy singing that much. May it be toddlers carrying makeshift tansan tambourines or full-on chorales, singing songs of Yuletide glee, to spread the feels. This seasonal tradition has always had its box ticked in the checklist of festivities.
Songs like old Filipino carols and Christmas Station IDs always grace the compilation of songs to be sung. They are usually complemented by instruments, instrumentals, or sometimes just the singers’ very own voices. Both children and adults alike perform Christmas carols in the hopes of earning an “aguinaldo” of sweets or money in exchange.
As varying combinations of noels travel with the breeze of this season, a nostalgic glimpse of a yesterday that once was is projected through these refrains. When we look back to the days when we were the ones who sang the songs we hear outside our doorsteps now, let us all collectively gather and listen to the hymns of what it is like to relive the joy of the Christmas season.
Thank you, thank you, ang babait ninyo!
