On a dark December evening, a long time ago, Three Wise Men rode through the desert in search of a baby. They had heard he was the newborn king of the Jews. A bright star suddenly appeared from the east and led them to a stable in Bethlehem where the newborn babe lay in his manger. Filipinos are reminded of this story every Christmas when they hang parols in their windows. Many of these star-shaped parols are made in Barangay Aldana in Las Pinas.

A few months before Christmas, most everyone is busy making the parols they are famous for. Almost every house is involved in the process of making the parol. The children sand the delicate bamboo frames while the older ones cut, paste, assemble the complicated wiring or man the stalls. Stalls selling parols line the main street of the barangay and give the usually drab street a very festive feeling.

According to Lando Julio, the local historian of Barangay Aldana, the parol industry began with two brothers - Arsenio and Ador Aguilar who wanted to make extra money for the holidays. Most Filipino children then knew how to make the simple parol and the brothers put their skill and hobby into good use. The brothers made more than extra money, they started a business. From this one family, there are now sixty families that make parols. Las Pinas is known more for the Bamboo Organ, built in 1816 by Fr. Diego Cera, and for its white salt. Not many know or remember that the delicate star-shaped parols of paper were made in Las Pinas. They are, by the way, the only truly Filipino Christmas ornaments. Today, the paper parols are made-to-order. Those that are sold in the streets are made of plastic in limited colors of blue, green, red and yellow. Although still bright, they are such a let down from the beautiful paper parols that were extravagantly decorated by such intricate paper cutouts in gold or silver paper. But at least, today's parols will still hang from every window not only in Las Pinas but in the whole country to remind each and every Filipino of the first Christmas.