- The “All Saint’s Day” and “All Souls Day” holidays have been a staple in the Filipino tradition
- Year by year, cemetery-goers visit their parted loved ones and bring them offerings such as flowers and food
You’re not a true Filipino if you haven’t took a trip to the cemetery with your family to visit someone who passed away. Whether it’s a friend, a neighbor, a relative, we annually allocate a special day to remember them.
Aside from flowers and candles, there are a lot of things you should bring with you on what we call, “Undas.” To help you navigate through the ins and outs of this celebration, we have prepared a little guide for you.
Discover more to “Undas” through these points:
Tents are friends
If you’re avoiding the heavy traffic that comes along with the holiday, then you should probably pack up and get ready to stay overnight at the cemetery. Most people go on the night of the 31 or the 30th and set up tents beside their departed ones’ grave. It will not only keep you safe, it will also give you warmth from the cold night.
Plus, a tent will save you from whatever’s out there. We don’t know…
Hoard food
Cemeteries are not malls that has a food court or a floor full of restaurants. If you’re lucky, there’s one stall that sells food but the area is swamped with people and it will surely fill up lines and take long to serve.
Bring munchies good enough for the whole family to avoid the hassle of that! Believe me when I say that it’s normal to carry a rice cooker or big tupperwares around because it’s highly advisable.
The Heat is real
Umbrellas should never leave you. It’s going to be your weapon for the whole day. The cemetery is a wide open field and there is very little places that has a roof.
If you forgot to bring a tent or if you’re not staying long, an umbrella or a hat should keep you covered. The heat can really bring stress and sometimes sickness so better to be armed, right?
Also, if you have sensitive skin, bring a sunscreen just in case.
Get early
Keep in mind that you would be stuck in the road with a lot of people who are also on their way to the cemetery or the province. It’s best that you know the right time to go and leave for home as the Manila traffic can get really really unbearable especially on the holidays.
The night before should be devoted for preparing so that everybody’s good to go even before the sun rises. You should also choose to leave the cemetery before dawn to avoid joining the multitude.
Keep company
Let’s treat this time of the year as those rare moments that we get to spend quality bonding with relatives. It’s not everyday all of you are gathered together in the same place, right? Aside from remembering, “Undas” is also the perfect time to rekindle relationships and value what you got before it’s gone.
Make your presence felt.
There you have it! Your personal and quick guide to 2017’s upcoming “Undas!” Be safe!
