It's a well-established tradition in the Philippines for every town to adorn their parks with Christmas lights. These parks become popular destinations for families, showcasing various dazzling designs that amplify the festive spirit and excitement among individuals, igniting the essence of Christmas.
On the first of January, with not much else planned and having missed touring any town's Christmas decorations, we made a spontaneous decision to visit two incredible towns near ours, Medellin People's Park at 4XH7+56G, Medellin, Cebu, and Daanbantayan Plaza at 7X2X+3J9, Daanbantayan, Cebu.
But why did we visit two parks in one night when we could have focused on just one? A little trivia about me, I'm actually a New Year baby. This is my way of celebrating my birthday as I grow older, I tend to appreciate more of the beauty the outside world has to offer. And so, this is how the day turned out.😊😇
We first visited Daanbantayan Plaza, as it was our initial destination. Being a devotee of the Children of Mary Pilgrim, what attracted me the most upon our arrival was the statue of Mary, embodying the prayer "O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you" This was the very first picture I captured, reminiscing that the Christmas celebration began when Mary was about to give birth to our Savior.😊
Right in front of the plaza is where their church is located. I couldn't miss capturing this beautiful scenery, as it breathes life into the area, reminding us that the central focus of this celebration is His birth.
On our way to the plaza, various eye-catching stalls caught our attention.
These are toy-selling stalls, so if you have a child with you, they will surely not leave the area until you buy the toy they want. There are also thrift stores, which are the favorite destinations of the younger generation today, choosing quality over quantity in fashion. It's undoubtedly a great place to visit.
These are the booths that the area offers, representing different barangays of the town. I wished to capture all of the booths, however, due to the crowd, I failed to do so.
This is Daanbantayan's Municipal Hall. It's astonishing that their Church, Plaza, and Municipality are all in close proximity, making it easy to access each of the locations. The Hall is adorned with bright designs featuring ribbons, reindeer, and Santa. It's certainly picturesque and worth capturing beauty.
Another challenging aspect is for those with kids, a warning that toy vendors are scattered even inside the plaza adds an extra element of fun to the scene.
This also caught my attention, their "Belen." The booth is so realistic, and you can truly see the effort they've put in to do justice to this representation. Even the reindeer is a display of full effort. It makes the tour worth the visit.
A quick photo opportunity with their grand Christmas Tree, undoubtedly a trademark of the plaza. Many picturesque scenes can be captured in this area that are truly Instagram-worthy, but once again, due to the crowd, I wasn't able to fully tour around.😍
If you find yourself hungry after the tour, food stalls are available for you to choose your favorites.
And our second location, is the lovely Medellin People's Park at 4XH7+56G, Medellin, Cebu. What's nice about this place is it's not too crowded and its solemn color combination of designs.😊
And, of course, we can't miss their grand Christmas Tree, as it is once again the trademark of every plaza. Seeing this design truly brings Christmas to life, as bright as it could be, giving hope to every individual who visits the place. A star that gives bright guidance to our path and gifts that fill our lives with surprises.
If Daanbantayan has a Photobooth area, well, in Medellin, they have these lanterns filled with light and uniqueness. An amazing lantern that portrays that the center of every star is the birth of Jesus, where a Belen is placed, reminding us again of the highlight of every Christmas. That at the top of every Christmas Tree is a star,the star that signifies His birth.
We can't miss the famous Belen they have here. It is a staple in every design as it is the highlight of the event.😉
Since it is a plaza, a playground is a must. It's delightful to see it well-organized and clean. Although it may be crowded at times, the staff ensures that there is still enough space for each child to play around. You might wonder why there are no designs on it. It is because, for the safety of the kids, as it is a play area, the designs might be damaged by the children playing in the area.
Various Christmas colors filled the area, reminding us of how colorful life is. It is essential for us to appreciate its beauty because no matter how bright or dark life may seem, there will always be that brightest star to guide us every step of the way. We just have to follow Him, and nothing is impossible.😊
A heart booth filled with gifts and hearts where you can take a picture with your family, friends, and loved ones. Indeed, a display of beauty and love.
Surrounding the area are food stalls and stores. You can even enjoy a meal under this romantic tree, savoring the view and catching up on stories with the person you are with.
On our way home, our eyes were mesmerized by the shining beauty of Bogo City Hall's Christmas lights, so we decided to make a quick visit. The lights shine brightly along the highway even from a distance
Their beautiful Belen is truly the center attraction of the area. Indeed, it's a Christ-centered town with a strong emphasis on the birth of our Savior, the main celebrant of the feast.😉
They also have these lights portraying the figures of the three kings on their way to Mary, who gave birth to Jesus.
What a bright smile this tour had brought to me. A journey that made the birthday worthwhile, reminding me of the beauty of life, reborn with hopes and faith inside me.
That's all for today, dear hivers.😉 I hope you had a great day, and may we all have a blissful year. Happy New Year!😊