Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas All!!
Yes, that's right, it's September, so bring on the "Ho-Ho-Ho"s, the red and green, the lights, the carols! After all Septem(ber) is a Brrr month. And to those of you, groaning with disgust at the arrival of another commercialized Christmas season, and those of you determined that such festivities should not, will not begin until December. I warn you: don't come to the Philippines in the Fall!
My Filipina roommate and I turned on the Telly yesterday morning (September 1), just in time for "Wowowee!"; a daily, 3hr long, dance and game show that explains at least half of Filipino culture. In my opinion I've already seen a lifetime supply of this show, which is filmed in Tagalog, and is based on barely dressed dancers doing some questionable dancing, and then having lone audience members repeat said dances and kareoke for cash! The show always starts with a major dance production, smoke, lights, and all, and it takes a good 30-45min for the games to really begin. Well yesterday in all my innocence, I was SHOCKED, when the opening dance was performed to a Christmas carol! Yes, in order to mark the opening of the Christmas season, there were red and green outfits, sequins, a big shining star, and Christmas music!! I'm not even kidding you! I'm told that over the next 4 mths I can expect decorations and carols in the malls, on the radio, on the streets - everywhere.
There are some days that I think I was born to be Filipino, and then there are some days when I stand next to one or smell dried fish and know; I'm Western through and through. And can I say, September 1, is a day I think I was born to be Filipino!