One year Christmas
NOEL, NOEL. The facade of the Christmas Factory in M. Jhocson Street. Photo by JAN ANGELO YVAN CABANTOG
In the Philippines, Christmas spans from September to January. But in this area in Manila, the Yuletide comes all year round.
If you happen to come across this particular store in the corner of Lacson and M. Jhocson streets in Manila, I’m sure you were either astonished or mesmerized when you saw the big Santa Claus figure doing the ‘keep silent’ gesture. And when you took a second look, you were able to see hundreds of other Santa Claus figures doing hundreds of different things—one is reading a book, another one is riding a reindeer, a number are wearing parachutes, while some are just standing with the classic Santa smirk on their faces. The Santa Claus figures come in different sizes, different outfits, and they are sold in different prices. You are mistaken if you think that you are in some Santa land or in the North Pole. The real deal is that you are in the Christmas Factory—the only place in the Philippines where Christmas is celebrated whole year long.
It all started with a hobby of creating paper mache. Jo Santos, the owner of the Christmas Factory, said that doing arts and crafts is her hobby as a kid. She usually creates figures from paper mache. Every Christmas season, Jo would make little Santa Claus figures as ornaments for her family’s Christmas tree.
“I wanted my hobby to produce something useful,” Jo said. “That is why I started making Santa Claus figures.”
One Christmas day, some friends came to Jo’s house for a visit. The visitors saw the cute little Santa ornaments that she made. They asked Jo is she could make Santa ornaments for them and they will pay her in exchange. She accepted the deal.
“I created a few batch of the little Santa ornaments. I was doing my hobby in exchange of money. How good is that?” said Jo.
And that is how everything started. Jo was earning money while doing the thing that she loves. Eventually, she created a number of different designs and during summer she spends time creating the Santa Claus figures. She was able to sell all her craft even before the Christmas season.
At that point, Jo and her husband Tony came up with a plan of opening their own business where they can incorporate Jo’s craft. They opened their little Christmas factory in Sampaloc area in Manila.
Since 1998, when they started their Santa Claus business, everything went the way they wanted it to be. People went flocking to their store all year long. Customers would place their orders as early as the month of June. Peak months are August to September which is the start of the Christmas season in the country.
Their patrons love the fact that they can buy products from the Christmas factory for as low as 50 bucks. Others doesn’t even mind the expensive price of the other products,
“We have little Santa Claus ornaments that the customers can buy for as low as 50 pesos, and we also have a six-foot Santa Claus which is for sale at 12,000 pesos, negotiable,” Jo explained.
For 14 years, the Christmas factory of the Santos family has been spreading the Christmas spirit to their customers and even to visitors who are just fascinated with their factory.
“By doing my craft and Tony doing the delivery of the products, we are able to do our share for the spirit of Christmas,” Jo added, laughing at her joke about her husband delivering their products.
The Christmas factory is spreading the Christmas spirit not just in the country. They are exporting their products abroad, in the U.S., Kuwait, and Australia to name a few.
Jo is happy that people are familiar with the Christmas factory. She’s glad that people gets the idea that her store is a place where Christmas is celebrated 365 days a year.
“We love Christmas so much, we love Santa Claus as much as Christmas,” said Jo. “Santa Claus is a symbol of giving, and we love him for that.”
As the Christmas song goes, “He’s making a list, and checking twice. He’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice. Santa Claus is coming to town.” For the effort of spreading the Christmas spirit, Jo and Tony are surely listed under “nice” in Santa Claus’ list of “naughty and nice." Jan Angelo Yvan Cabantog
If you happen to come across this particular store in the corner of Lacson and M. Jhocson streets in Manila, I’m sure you were either astonished or mesmerized when you saw the big Santa Claus figure doing the ‘keep silent’ gesture. And when you took a second look, you were able to see hundreds of other Santa Claus figures doing hundreds of different things—one is reading a book, another one is riding a reindeer, a number are wearing parachutes, while some are just standing with the classic Santa smirk on their faces. The Santa Claus figures come in different sizes, different outfits, and they are sold in different prices. You are mistaken if you think that you are in some Santa land or in the North Pole. The real deal is that you are in the Christmas Factory—the only place in the Philippines where Christmas is celebrated whole year long.
It all started with a hobby of creating paper mache. Jo Santos, the owner of the Christmas Factory, said that doing arts and crafts is her hobby as a kid. She usually creates figures from paper mache. Every Christmas season, Jo would make little Santa Claus figures as ornaments for her family’s Christmas tree.
“I wanted my hobby to produce something useful,” Jo said. “That is why I started making Santa Claus figures.”
One Christmas day, some friends came to Jo’s house for a visit. The visitors saw the cute little Santa ornaments that she made. They asked Jo is she could make Santa ornaments for them and they will pay her in exchange. She accepted the deal.
“I created a few batch of the little Santa ornaments. I was doing my hobby in exchange of money. How good is that?” said Jo.
And that is how everything started. Jo was earning money while doing the thing that she loves. Eventually, she created a number of different designs and during summer she spends time creating the Santa Claus figures. She was able to sell all her craft even before the Christmas season.
At that point, Jo and her husband Tony came up with a plan of opening their own business where they can incorporate Jo’s craft. They opened their little Christmas factory in Sampaloc area in Manila.
Since 1998, when they started their Santa Claus business, everything went the way they wanted it to be. People went flocking to their store all year long. Customers would place their orders as early as the month of June. Peak months are August to September which is the start of the Christmas season in the country.
Their patrons love the fact that they can buy products from the Christmas factory for as low as 50 bucks. Others doesn’t even mind the expensive price of the other products,
“We have little Santa Claus ornaments that the customers can buy for as low as 50 pesos, and we also have a six-foot Santa Claus which is for sale at 12,000 pesos, negotiable,” Jo explained.
For 14 years, the Christmas factory of the Santos family has been spreading the Christmas spirit to their customers and even to visitors who are just fascinated with their factory.
“By doing my craft and Tony doing the delivery of the products, we are able to do our share for the spirit of Christmas,” Jo added, laughing at her joke about her husband delivering their products.
The Christmas factory is spreading the Christmas spirit not just in the country. They are exporting their products abroad, in the U.S., Kuwait, and Australia to name a few.
Jo is happy that people are familiar with the Christmas factory. She’s glad that people gets the idea that her store is a place where Christmas is celebrated 365 days a year.
“We love Christmas so much, we love Santa Claus as much as Christmas,” said Jo. “Santa Claus is a symbol of giving, and we love him for that.”
As the Christmas song goes, “He’s making a list, and checking twice. He’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice. Santa Claus is coming to town.” For the effort of spreading the Christmas spirit, Jo and Tony are surely listed under “nice” in Santa Claus’ list of “naughty and nice." Jan Angelo Yvan Cabantog