Christmas away from home: How do OFWs celebrate?

Christmas is a major celebration in the Philippines, many Overseas Filipino Workers try their best to travel back home. If everything is in favor of you including your budget and work schedule, you will be lucky to spend your Holidays with your family back home.

But what if you don’t have a choice? How the majority of us OFW spend Christmas?

Most of the comments I have read from my previous Facebook post shows that OFWs in Oman celebrate it with friends. Various churches in the city perform Simbang Gabi, and on the Christmas day, there is also a dedicated mass being held. Most of us start the Christmas day in Oman by attending the mass. After that, together with friends, spend the day in malls and restaurants – if you are one of those lucky to have a dayoff!

When it comes to Noche Buena or Christmas eve dinner, of course this will not be missed at all. Even if we are not in the Philippines, we try our best to prepare foods and delicacies to enjoy during dinner. Families of OFW invites other family to celebrate together in their flat and bring foods to share.

Gift giving is of course one of the anticipated part of this day, kids are very excited to open their gift and even the adults shares the same excitement.

Some OFWs with their families celebrate it in hotels and resorts, few can be seen in public park with their Filipino foods and kakanin. After all, the joy that we share with our family in Oman is the most important thing during Christmas.

Ultimately, OFW who works in the offices and other institutions take a Christmas day leave and spend it with their friends and families.

Christmas when you are overseas is celebrated the same way in the Philippines  – mass, food, gift and with love ones.