Philippine Christmas is probably one of the liveliest and illuminating around the world. You can feel the Christmas season even if it’s just September. Cebu, being part of the Philippine islands, has one of the best Christmas celebrations you’ll ever see. Christmas is ubiquitous all over the island and these are the top places to go during the season.
Pasko sa Sugbo at Fuente Osmeña Circle
This place is where you can find the tallest Christmas tree with unique decorations in the metro. Surrounding that tree are different vendors and stalls that sell you different food and merchandise such as Filipino barbecue, shakes, toys, accessories, etc.. There are also various activities each night that you can either learn or enjoy or both such as live bands, stand up comedy, talks about different topics, etc.. The event ends on December 30.
Time: 6 pm-12 midnight.
Location: Fuente Osmeña Circle
Kasadya Sa Downtown (Colon Night Market)
If you don’t want to spend a lot for Christmas and looking for something budget-friendly, then Colon night market has those things for you. You can find different assortments of clothes, toys, shoes, and many more for your loved ones. If One thing that’s really good about this night market is that you can haggle all you want, so better hone your haggling skills for a lesser price. Vendors are also selling different kinds of Cebuano street food. If you’re looking for a quick snack, feeling adventurous and got a little hungry from walking around, then try out the various scrumptious food.
Time: 6pm – 2am
Location: Colon
Naga Boardwalk and Park
Naga Boardwalk and Park has become one of the most sought after recreational parks in Cebu. It’s improvement over the years, especially after the lockdowns of the pandemic, has impressed visitors near and far. It is a great place to have a leisurely walk with the family or your special partner. Kids will love the various playgrounds and characters displayed all over the park. You can have a romantic time with your partner while walking the boardwalk and feel the refreshing sea breeze. Food is readily available in the area with its various stalls and restaurants.
When the evening comes, it will be truly Christmas. You will be met with so much beautiful illumination that you can only feel joy. Christmas trees are widespread all over the park to know the Christmas spirit is all over the place.
Time: Open all day
Location: Naga City
Snow World
Not a lot of Cebuanos experience White Christmas. Fortunately, Snow World opened to let Cebuanos experience winter. If you want to get away from the hot temperature in December and get the winter feel, this is the place to go. For an entrance fee of 350 pesos, Snow World has many winter activities to do but make sure to bring your own winter clothing (or rent them if you don’t have one with you) as temperatures can be really cold inside. Some of the activities you can do inside are the ice slide ride, drinking hot coffee and chocolate, look at ice figures and many more.
Time: Weekdays: 1 PM to 8 PM
Weekends: 11 AM to 8 PM
Location: One Belmont, Minglanilla, Cebu
The Malls
Yes, the malls are probably the most Christmas-y in all of the city. You can have a great time with lots of special events in them. Stores will also have their sales on different items as the year is about to end. Ayala Center Cebu tops them all with their Symphony of Lights. You’ll see Christmas lights moving to the tune of Christmas carols in the terrace area. They also have bazaars where you can buy different items which are mostly clothes and accessories. SM Seaside also has a big Christmas tree with different themes for each year. The malls are truly instagrammable.
Time (most malls): 10 am-10 pm
