Ah yes, September.
For others, it may just seem like another month in a year, or even just 4 months shy from 2022. But for Filipinos, it’s a whole different story.
In the Philippines, the Christmas season starts in September, and it’s a well-established fact that our country celebrates the longest Christmas season in the world.
Once September 1 comes rolling in, you won’t ever hear the end of Jose Mari Chan’s undisputed Christmas anthem “Christmas in Our Hearts”, or Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”. Sooner or later, you’ll start seeing Christmas decorations and parols lining up on the street and indulging yourself in the oh-so familiar scent of bibingka and puto bumbong near churches.
Because the Christmas season is such a big holiday in the Philippines, Filipinos each have their own varying way of celebrating the arrival of the “Ber months”. And with the pandemic keeping most of us at home, everyone rang in the Christmas season in true Filipino fashion—through Jose Mari Chan (JMC) and memes.
Heck, even before September 1 came, memes have already been popping around here and there on social media. You won’t even deny seeing at least one before September.
jose mari chan season is coming pic.twitter.com/xcxgJ5Xbnu
— Hey cousin! Let's go bowling. (@grotesquefvck) August 30, 2021
Jose Mari Chan: Whenever….. pic.twitter.com/gg2BCZPVO4
— 🌻 (@goddessyoona_) August 31, 2021
JUST IN:
mariah carey and jose mari chan is preparing for tomorrow's opening remarks for the start of the Christmas season in the Philippines. pic.twitter.com/BoCxqC9USQ— halogen 🧣 (@hauntedhalogen) August 31, 2021
SPOTTED BACKSTAGE: JOSE MARI CHAN ’S COMEBACK DEBUT ON INKIGAYO SEPTEMBER 2021 pic.twitter.com/K9heT7C3WL
— chan prix (@JonBryx) August 31, 2021
Once September 1 came, Filipino social media was overrun with JMC memes and Christmas greetings.
jose mari chan's comeback pic.twitter.com/na4lBUQbyP
— mari (@iscaladejnce) August 31, 2021
Jose mari chan songs blasting my neighbours' speakers pic.twitter.com/4wP1AyDmBK
— flor ◆ cw black clover (@fleurezkaaa) August 31, 2021
it's jose mari chan day 🤩🤩🤩🤩 pic.twitter.com/n8ZlsyZR0v
— owo (@moneypeniis_) August 31, 2021
christmas in our hearts – jose mari chan pic.twitter.com/BW0QPD1Y0R
— felix dancing to (@felixdancingto_) August 28, 2021
Filipino K-Pop stans even started remixing their favorite K-Pop songs with Jose Mari Chan’s Christmas songs, and other edits.
Work It In Our Hearts – NCT & JMC [exclusive REMIX] pic.twitter.com/7c4YLuboky
— marie (@paintyounaked) September 1, 2021
NCT 2020 Resonance (Christmas special) 🎄 pic.twitter.com/fDPTynEFyv
— 'tine ♡ (@jaehyunqi_) September 1, 2021
[Jose Mari Chan]🔴started a LIVE pic.twitter.com/zsKZf5Vpxi
— Andrea⁷ bz aq beh (@seoktiddies_) August 31, 2021
fuck jose mari chan we want nayeon from twice pic.twitter.com/fOBcShrXVO
— cass✨ (@chaeyonites) August 31, 2021
Living for this remix!! 😩 JOSE MARI CHAN VOCALS!! 🤣🤣💀 pic.twitter.com/ygVDw9K6JB
— human tangerine 🐻🍊 (@ya_jonginini) August 31, 2021
Merry Christmas everyone🎊
Jose Mari Chan in your tl;) pic.twitter.com/c9ucUPvWi9— ja.⚡️ (@tskhairb4nd) August 31, 2021
Jose Mari Chan?
No, it's SEONHO-SE MARI TIAN!
Happy Ber Months, everyone!
Can you already feel the Christmas season?#KimSeonHo #김선호 pic.twitter.com/ieRSYsUTNX— out of context kim seonho (@oocseonho) August 31, 2021
Jose Mari Chan Who? I only know Heeseung Mari Chan😎 pic.twitter.com/Sbls4f2N6K
— SAMOH • D-15🎂 (@rla_ddeonu) September 1, 2021
fuck jose mari chan we want gfriend
— jun (@catboyjunhui_) September 1, 2021
You know what it is!
It's Christmas Season so here's Jose Mari Chan x @treasuremembers collab 🎄🌟#TREASURE pic.twitter.com/RFDb1bfPlU
— Taffie ✦ ♥ ⚡︎ (@sinister_tingz) August 31, 2021
With the arrival of the Christmas season coinciding with Genshin Impact’s version 2.1 update, both were on top of Twitter’s top trending list for a while.
Raiden Shogun vs Mariah Carey and Jose Mari Chan because it's September 1 in the Philippines and this is all I will see in my timeline starting today pic.twitter.com/WbvS9Njjax
— Yumi ゆみ💮 comms closed (@yumilattea) August 31, 2021
ahh the new inazuma characters raiden shogun/baal, thoma, and jose mari chan pic.twitter.com/xIoaSXtnmq
— mikan cant get over cafe xqcy (@mikanchiis) September 1, 2021
Ahh yes, the best waifus of Genshin Impact
Baal, raiden, mona and Jose Mari Chan pic.twitter.com/VEdDYmHAGq— jk (@janarchin) August 31, 2021
jose mari chan came home? pic.twitter.com/JhyMJ806kZ
— elli ⋆*･ | alipin ni jinsoul (@olhyejuice) August 31, 2021
It is time.
I don't know what I'm doing. #GenshinImpact #raidenshogun #josemarichan pic.twitter.com/c51J56u870
— Acrylic Stroke | Commissions OPEN (@AcrylicStroke) August 31, 2021
The Ber months are truly a reflection of how we Filipinos celebrate the Christmas season and its message of joy and festivity. Let’s not forget to keep ourselves safe and healthy in order to celebrate this much-awaited and important tradition in jubilant fashion this year.
We all deserve a better Christmas season, especially with how much the pandemic has taken away from all of us.
Maligayang Pasko, mga kababayan! Charot only.