PAROL In the heart of every Filipino Christmas is the parol, a star-shaped lantern that illuminates homes and hearts. This iconic decoration has its roots in the Spanish colonial period, when lanterns lit the path to early morning Misa de Gallo masses. But in 1908, Francisco Estanislao of Pampanga gave it its signature five-point star shape, crafting it with bamboo and Japanese paper. What started as a humble creation soon became a national tradition. Over the years, artisans experimented with c