What’s a parol?
Parol-Making Workshop
The star lantern is a Christmas symbol in the Philippine. A symbol is something that stands for another thing. Filipinos call the star lantern a parol (pah-ROLL). A parol is a five-pointed star inside of a circle. It is made out of bamboo and bright paper. Bamboo is a plant with a hollow stem. There is usually a candle or light inside the parol.
Filipinos start making parols three moths before Christmas. The men and boys cut the bamboo. People bend the bamboo into frames of different sizes. The women and girls cut paper. They glue the paper to the bamboo frame. Each point of the star has a tassel. A tassel is a bunch of yarn or ribbon. It is tied together at the top.
Parols hang everywhere in the Philippines during the Christmas season. They are found in house, stores, and churches. They remind many Filipinos of the star the wise men followed.
Christmas in the Philippines. Cheryl L. Enderlein. Capstone Press. Mankato.
