This Week in Cebu (Dec 21-27, 2015)

Christmas Week is filled with promos and offers from Cebu’s major malls. One example is Havaiana’s “Turn Up the Beat This Holiday” promo from November 13, 2015 to December 31, 2015 at Ayala Center Cebu. Shoppers will receive a complimentary speaker when they buy a minimum single-receipt purchase worth P2,500 of regular-priced Havaianas products.

Another offer worth checking is SM City Cebu’s “Christmas Bears of Joy” from November 6, 2015 to December 31, 2015. Shoppers can buy a pair stuffed bears for only P200 where they “can keep one bear and donate the other to a child in need.”^[1]

As Christmas draws near during this week, most hotels and resorts offer deals and specialty cuisine at their restaurants. For instance, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa offers December Lunch Buffet at the Kilimanjaro Kafe from December 21, 2015 to January 1, 2016. Kilimanjaro Kafe serves cuisines from different countries and continents such as European, Asian, Mediterranean, Japanese and Philippine and even healthy food every day.

Christmas will be felt more around Cebu during this week as there are light shows, parades, and meet-and-greets. For example, Ayala Center Cebu has Symphony Lights every 30 minutes from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at The Terraces. Christmas lights change colors and “dance” with Christmas songs.

Meanwhile, the “Christmas Parade” and “Santa Meet and Greet” will be happening at the SM City Consolacion on December 25, 2015. There will be a grand parade of famous icons and tenant mascots during the Christmas Parade while Santa Claus will greet the kids at the meet-and-greet event.

It will be mostly sunny and less humid throughout the week in Cebu. Minimum temperature is at 26°C while maximum temperature is at 28°C.

Heavy traffic can also be expected between December 21 to 24 since Cebuanos will be rushing to buy last minute shopping for food and gifts in big malls and grocery stores. Traffic in nearby Ayala Center Cebu especially along Archbishop Reyes Avenue and Mindanao Avenue is very slow due to convergence of vehicles from Banilad to Ayala.

Most Cebuanos celebrate Christmas Eve by attending a midnight Mass at Church and preparing big meals for family and guests called Noche Buena. Noche Buena came from Spanish tradition and the usual centerpiece for that celebration is the lechon or roasted pig. Some of the conventional dishes in the current-times Noche Buena are sweet spaghetti, lumpia, hamon or ham, quezo de bola, paella, leche flan, ice cream, and some bright-colored fruits such as banana, watermelon, oranges and apples.

Christmas week is high peak season which means hotels and resorts increase their rates and at the same time include complimentary products and services to attract more visitors. One example is Marco Polo Plaza Cebu’s “Christmas Surprise Room Package” from December 1 to 29, 2015. The package includes Mountain View Room for two persons, breakfast buffet for two persons at Café Marco, a box of three Café Marco Christmas Ensaimada and free shuttle service starting at $102 (Php 4,800.00) per night.