As a Filipina, I noticed that in my nineteen years of living that the birthday "celebrants"* are the ones that treats his/her friends.
Actually, I experienced treating my friends a day before my birthday by having an outing at La Mesa Eco Park. I paid for the gas, the entrance fees and the rates of the activities that we've had such as Wall Climbing, Zip Line and Paintball.
Now, don't get me wrong. I loved treating my friends and we had so much fun. But as a student, I kind of thought about the Php5,000 that I spent just for that day. If only I had saved that, I would've much more money for my trip to Hong Kong two months after my birthday.
Let us fast forward to this week. I had my World Tourism Geography and Culture class and our professor asked us about social customs in another country that we know of. Being the French Culture-fanatic that I am, I told her that if someone is invited to a party, he/she is required to bring something with him. Be it a box of cookies or a bottle of wine, it is customary that he has to bring something.
My professor agreed with me and what she told me next just gave me en epiphany. She told us that in the USA and in Europe, "Birthday Blowouts" are the other way around. The "celebrant" will be treated by family and friends. These families and friends are the ones that will spend for the "celebrant"; most of the time, they throw a surprise party for him/her!
The reason would be: if the "celebrant" will treat the friends and families, he will spend too much for 20+persons. While if it's the family and friends that will treat the "celebrant", they will only spend for one person (the celebrant). Besides, birthdays only come once a year. Why would you make the "celebrant" spend his hard-earned money to treat his friends?
I don't really know how this Filipino culture started, but I think this lacks logic. If many people will agree with me, we can change the whole Filipino Birthday Blowout Culture and save birthday "celebrants" in the Philippines lots of money.
Naisip ko din ito dati pa pero hindi ko kayang isulat gaya ng pagkakasulat mo dito. Di ko talaga makuha bakit kailangan manlibre pag kaarawan, kasi di ba, ikaw na nga yung may birthday ikaw pa manlilibre. Sabi ko nga sa mga kaibigan ko, ako na nga itong may birthday, mawawalan pa ako ng pera, lol pero pajoke ko lang yun sinasabi hahaha.
TumugonBurahintapos misan yung mga ililibre mo, wala namang regalo sa'yo. LOL. Sad reality of life. Di ba? Lahat naman tayo nag eexpect sa birthday natin ng regalo. lol
Ang selfless lang ng ibang tao na ginagawa yun. Nanlilibre ng walang kapalit XD.
Kung san nagsimula ito, that I don't know pero may hinala ako nung spanish era. haha Kasi di ba, parang ang abuso ng concept.Sorry for the spanish, na-aassociate ko kasi lagi sila sa abuse in the context of Philippine History. LOL
Interesting Post PJ :)
I have also heard of this custom abroad that the friends and family will have to treat the celebrant for her birthday. It sounds more logical too compared to our tradition that the birthday celebrant is the one treating her friends and family. I also hate the fact that 'the celebrants' are FORCED against their will to treat because friends are pressuring you. Instead of you spending your hard earned money to buy something for yourself you end up spending on food that you don't even get to eat and enjoy because your friends ate them all.
TumugonBurahinSo I guess maybe my being sick for a week is a blessing in disguise. I have to cancel my birthday treat scheduled for today. Now I will have to spend my birthday alone tomorrow and free from peer pressure. I say that as a good thing. : )
Nice first post though PJ! Keep it up!Now I want my own blog. haha : )
Christian, nice to know that we have the same sentiments! Actually, I think most of us will agree about the "celebrant" treating friends thing.
TumugonBurahinI don't really care for the gifts. For all I know, birthdays should just be a celebration of being alive and celebrating it. That's the real sense behind it, right?
Haha, from the Spaniards? Maybe. I rarely say this, but I really have no idea. I say we should emulate the Western culture (about birthdays that is) because it makes more sense.
Thanks for the comment, Christian! :)
Hi Karla!
TumugonBurahinThanks for the comment! I made this blog because I've been having so many thoughts lately and I want to share them with every one. I think of it as a little step in changing something that should be changed (obviously I first wanted to change the Birthday Blowout Culture, haha!)
While reading your comment, I now had a little idea about how this culture started. It may spring from the Filipinos being really hospitable and friendly, so maybe they did this because of that. But unfortunately, the "being friendly" of the Filipinos didn't come out as it should have.
Now that I think of it, some of these birthday "celebrants" just may want to be with their family and friends, so they treat them. But really, I think that we should be the ones treating the "celebrant". It's her special day, so we should make her feel special too, right?
I didn't know that it's your birthday in a short while! Oh my. If I had known, I would have treated you! And I hope you do feel better.
And by the way, why don't you start a blog? You're a graduate student, I'm sure you'll have lots to say. :)
TumugonBurahinI just started a blog after commenting here. Apparently you have to have an account to comment. So I said what the heck why not make a blog! Look me up. kpcolmenar.blogspot.com
TumugonBurahin