Yes, that’s true. And that’s according to Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). This is because the “Christmas octave” ends on Jan. 1, reported Inquirer.
Said Castro, “We in the Philippines focus on the preparations for the misa de gallo (Christmas dawn Masses) so after Dec. 25, it’s like Christmas is over. It’s not. In the liturgy of the Church, Dec. 25 is just the start of Christmas and we celebrate that for eight days until Jan. 1. That’s what we call the Christmas octave so pwede pang mamasko (we can still ask for Christmas gifts).”
