In the Catholic world, the month of May is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is celebrated at the very least by the garlanding of Mary statues in churches, convents, and Catholic school. In the Philippines, May is a time of intense festivity. All month, schoolchildren assemble bouquest and floral offerings and take them to church. Meanwhile, girls elected to serve as festival queens parade through the streets dressed in the national costume, the butterfly -sleeved terna dress, surrounded by page boys, flowers girls who scatter petals, and their relatives and neighbors who sing and chant Hail Marys.
On the last night of May, this extended festival culminates with torchlight parades, open houses, games, and richly elaborate banquets. A feature of these is the Filipino variation on the mexican pinata: a bamboo frame from which dangle packages of sweets, fruit, and toys on strings. Children leap at the packages while adults control the strings by means of pulley system. In Manila, this is one of the biggest nights of the year, and many people attend formal balls.
On the last night of May, this extended festival culminates with torchlight parades, open houses, games, and richly elaborate banquets. A feature of these is the Filipino variation on the mexican pinata: a bamboo frame from which dangle packages of sweets, fruit, and toys on strings. Children leap at the packages while adults control the strings by means of pulley system. In Manila, this is one of the biggest nights of the year, and many people attend formal balls.
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