In the Philippines, Christmas begins in September, marking the start of the “ber” months. Over 100 days before Christmas Day, homes, streets, and malls are filled with lanterns and ornaments, while radio stations play Jose Mari Chan classics. This is the longest holiday season in the world, often lasting into January. However, a new generation of Filipinos, particularly those in creative and urban communities, is shifting the holiday aesthetic by reimagining Christmas spaces with more personal, sustainable, and culturally rooted designs.
Interior design has long influenced how Filipinos celebrate the season, from choosing the right lantern to arranging the nativity scene at home. Traditionally, this meant reds, greens, blinking lights, and glittering ornaments.
“The Filipino Christmas used to mean simply decorating in reds and greens or hanging a lighted parol,” said Pojie Pambid, an interior designer and professor at the Philippine School of Interior Design – Ahlen Institute (PSID-Ahlen). “Today, interior design has opened many possibilities, letting homeowners experiment with colors and themes that reflect their personalities. It has transformed the way Filipinos experience Christmas.”
Much of this creativity is tied to Filipino culture and tradition. One concept in PSID-Ahlen’s Designs of Christmas exhibit, the school’s 48th graduation showcase, is “Simoy ng Pasko: A Simbang Gabi–Inspired Dining Lanai.” The design reimagines the Filipino dining lanai as an inviting space that captures the communal joy of Christmas.
The space features dark gray limestone walls, terrazzo flooring, and rattan accents in the furniture and lighting. Capiz tiles and rippled metal add symbolic layers of light and reflection. Soft greens and neutrals suggest a calm, dawn-like atmosphere, while warm golden light conveys renewal.
Together, these elements evoke the simoy ng Pasko, or December breeze, that affirms hope and nostalgia.
“Our design captures the essence of Christmas as Filipinos know it: serene, heartfelt, and rooted in community,” said Clare Dacanay, one of the student designers behind the concept. “It is both a tribute to tradition and a reminder of the values that give the season its magic.”
This respect for tradition also shapes how designers select materials and create décor.
“The Filipino designer has nature as his backyard,” said Pambid. “Instead of relying on ready-made items, interior design teaches us to reuse and repurpose. Why buy when you can create? Why spend when you can save?”
In a season often defined by consumerism, when holiday décor is mostly bought rather than handcrafted, these approaches encourage Filipinos to craft holiday décor that is stylish and meaningful.
“Interior design can transform Christmas into something deeper than spectacle,” Pambid added. “It’s about creating spaces that are handmade and true to who we are as a people.”
For many young creatives, Christmas design is less about following formulas and more about telling stories through spaces.
“Christmas is a celebration of variety, cultures, and creativity,” said Joel Benitez, PSID-Ahlen’s 48th graduating class batch president. “Styling for the holidays has no limits. We want people to leave with inspired minds and joyful hearts.”
That outlook is at the heart of the Designs of Christmas Exhibit, which features 12 interiors showcasing how a new generation of Filipino designers reshapes how the country celebrates its most cherished season.
The design themes span a wide spectrum, including Broadlism, Victorian, Art Deco, Mexican, Brazilian, Filipino, Chocolate-Plum-Mint, Lilac-Icy Blue-Ivory, Orange-Russet-Flame, Noel Aurora, Urban Cosmopolitan, and Rustic.
“These themes showcase the imagination of our designers,” said Benitez. “For us, Christmas is not only a tradition. It’s also a canvas for creativity and meaning.”
PSID-Ahlen’s Designs of Christmas Exhibit opens on September 27 at GH Tower in Greenhills.
