Ber Month

Welcome to the Sherwin M Podcast, a podcast about the adventures of being Filipino-American. I am your host, Sherwin. How’s everyone doing today? A couple of updates before I get started. You know, recently I’ve started creating videos again on YouTube.

I started back in 2008, did it for a few years, did a few videos here and there, and enjoyed it and just stopped for many reasons. But recently I started getting back into it again, so I recorded a few things. Go check it out. You can see it at YouTube.com and just look for me, W1N78, that’s like my username, or you can just search, search for it, or check out the show notes for the link.

Or my website has all the links there. But check it out. Let me know what you think. I’ve done a little bit of research and got a new camera and did a little bit of different recording style, I guess. And also, as I mentioned in previous episodes, I changed up the room to be more studio-like instead of doing videos on top of my washing machine.

So yeah, go check that out if you ever get a chance. And if you’re just hanging out. If you’re just hanging out on YouTube, let me know what you think. Another update, Simplecast, the host provider that I have that’s hosting this podcast, they recently changed the way they generate URLs for the episodes. Previously, what they did was Simplecast.com slash, I think, my username slash episode

number. But in previous episodes, I always say, go check out the show notes and check out the episode on podcast.sherwinem.com slash and then episode number. But I found out from the last episode, they did some changes and it’s a little bit weird.

So I think why they’re doing it is to address or be prepared for iOS 11 that Apple’s released recently. Because in that version of iOS, they are handling. Like podcast episodes differently. So I think, Apple is doing something to accommodate for seasons and stuff. So I’m not so sure how I’m going to be able to do this from now on, because I can’t simply just say, you know, my domain podcast.sherwinem.com slash episode number.

Although I could, but it’s like more work where I can create a redirection. We’ll see. We’ll see. But. But if you subscribe to the podcast, the app you’re using should be able to handle all of the show notes and stuff.

Or if you follow me on Facebook, I usually post all that stuff there. Or if you follow me on like Twitter or Instagram, W1N78 is my username. You could also check that out there as well. Or just message me and I’ll like send you a link and stuff. So, but that’s pretty much about it on updates.

Now, this is episode. Thirteen, and we’re going to title it Burr Months. So Burr Months as in B-E-R. What is Burr Months? So in the Filipino culture, Burr Months is like the preparation because Christmas is coming, like it’s close.

Or in Game of Thrones, winter is coming, right? So Burr Months starts in September. Um, hopefully you’re starting to get the idea as to why it’s called Burr Months. Uh, it starts in September because the last three letters is Burr, B-E-R. That’s why it’s called Burr Months.

I’ve asked a few people if there was anything beyond that, but, uh, I couldn’t find anything. It’s, it’s just pretty much like we’re getting ready for Christmas. We love Christmas. So they picked September because…

Because it’s the first month that ends with Burr, and hence we call it Burr Months. So, what starts happening? Well, as soon as September 1 hits, and if you’re in the Philippines, you’re going to start seeing decorations pop up. And one of the like really common decorations is called Parol, P-A-R-O-L, and so Parol is derived from the Spanish word. Farol, which means lantern, and that’s pretty much what it is.

It’s, it’s a lantern. It’s a, it’s a star-shaped, uh, lantern, and it’s made out of bamboo and paper. And in some instances you could actually put like a candle or lights or like inside and outside. So if, if you get a chance, like do a Google image search on it, they’re really beautiful. So check, check that out.

I guess you can compare them to lights. I guess you can compare them to lights. I guess you can compare them to lights. I guess you can compare them to lights. Like wreaths, Christmas wreaths.

So, yeah, that’s, I guess, our version of wreaths. But yeah, starting, starting September, uh, I mean, could you imagine that? Like, uh, everything that, you know, well, not everything, but most of the things that you start seeing is like Christmas theme. So decorations, radio stations start playing Christmas music. Um, if you go to the malls, go to the stores, you start seeing Christmas music.

You start seeing decorations. So, yeah, and everyone’s starting to get into the Christmas spirit and it’s September. So I don’t know. I could only imagine. I mean, here in America, September, what do, what do we look forward to?

Labor Day, right? And after Labor Day, we’re like, oh man, when, when’s the next holiday where we don’t have to go to work? And it would be like Veterans Day for some people. Nothing in October. Uh, I guess.

To some students, they get like Christmas Columbus Day or Christmas, Christopher Columbus Day. And even then, not every state celebrates that or observes it. So yeah, like we, September after Labor Day, the next thing we look forward to, I guess, is Halloween and we don’t even get a day off. But in the Philippines, starting September, like it’s, it’s pretty much Christmas. That’s what everyone starts to look forward to.

At least those who celebrate it. And majority of the country do celebrate. That’s why, um, it’s observed that way. Um, so I started thinking in America, what, what do we have that’s similar to this? Um, I really can’t think of anything, at least nothing that this early.

Cause September, that’s like October, November, this three months, more than three months, um, before actual Christmas. So what I, what I started thinking about. Was, okay, um, what about Independence Day, 4th of July? What, what do we start seeing or noticing? Well, a week before, uh, the 4th of July, you’re going to start seeing these little pop-up stands in different places where they’re going to be selling fireworks.

And usually it’s, it’s probably like maybe two, two and a half weeks prior to 4th of July, when you start seeing these and then not even till like a week before you’ll start actually seeing vendors go in and start selling fireworks. Although many people get them elsewhere and you’ll start hearing fireworks before and after 4th of July. But yeah, that’s, that’s one thing, but it’s, it’s like, it’s only like within the same month, within two weeks, not months, you know? And after 4th of July. Uh, the next example is October.

So as soon as October and even, even till now, right now, uh, mid September is when I’m recording this. I’m starting to see it, but, uh, areas where, uh, pump pumpkin patches, uh, pop up. So, you know, most of them pop up like in October, first week of October. And they’ll usually, um, you’ll see them in corners and like near malls and stuff. But yeah, October comes.

And you’ll start seeing pumpkin patches. Why? Well, because of Halloween, because of Thanksgiving, I guess, but it’s mainly Halloween. And these pumpkin patches are where you would go in and buy some pumpkins so you can decorate them. You could bring the kids there and they could ride on the rides or those slides where you sit on like sacks and just ride, ride the slides and ride donkeys and stuff.

It’s a little. It’s like a carnival and, uh, but you don’t see those pop up until October or at least very close to October, like end of September and October. But once Halloween passes, that’s it. So within, within the same month, that’s when you start seeing these things, right? So the next, the next thing after Halloween, um, pretty much in the same places as where the, the pumpkin patches.

Are you’ll, you’ll see, uh, like around Thanksgiving, maybe right after Thanksgiving, these pumpkin patches become Christmas tree farms. So Christmas tree farms are similar to punk pumpkin patches, but it’s for people who want to get fresh cut trees to be their Christmas trees. But even then, like you, you don’t see it months before they, um, before Christmas. Yeah, I, I, I can’t find any examples, um, that are similar to what Filipinos do in Philippines with Burr months. And when I first heard about Burr months, I was like, Burr as in BRR, like Burr, it’s cold, but, but it doesn’t really get that cold.

At least whenever I go home, uh, during the holidays, Christmas, like everyone’s somewhat bundled up, but it’s still pretty warm for me. But yeah, I’ve always looked at it as Burr months, like I’m cold, it’s, it’s the cold weather season or something, but no, it’s, it’s Burr as in BRR, September, October, November, December. So that’s, uh, that’s what Burr months is. And usually here in America, like our way of getting into the Christmas spirit, I think, I mean, for me and my observations. I would say would be around Thanksgiving.

So Thanksgiving happens, it’s like the day before Thanksgiving is considered the busiest traveling time in the year because everyone’s like flying out or driving to families and spending time together and having Thanksgiving dinner. So that’s like, I guess a sign of, whoa, it’s, um, getting close to the holiday season. At least those who celebrate Christmas, um, that’s like the sign. Right. And then soon after Thanksgiving, we have Black Friday.

So Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving. And it’s considered the, what is it? The busiest shopping day of the year, right? All the sales start and, you know, people start buying their Christmas gifts because supposedly the sales are good. Now, um, in recent years, the sales haven’t really been that great and you can actually take advantage of the internet and just buy online instead of going to brick and mortar stores.

And man, some of those videos are insane. But anyway, I think for me, like Thanksgiving is when I start getting into the Christmas spirit and it’s not even Thanksgiving day, but I think like Black Friday. What do you all, uh, when do you all feel like you’re getting into the Christmas spirit? Is it during that time, like in December, two weeks before Christmas or even before that? I don’t know.

Even though I know about the, the Burma months, like right now it’s happening in the Philippines and I’m Filipino, like I, I’m not in that Christmas spirit yet. I don’t know. I mean, yeah, every time I, I talk to. Friends and relatives or see their photos on Facebook, it’s, it’s a bit weird seeing all those Christmas decorations and lights, um, that they take pictures of and, you know, so, but it’s, it’s very interesting. So, yeah, uh, that’s, that’s pretty much what I have for this episode.

Uh, episode 13, Burma months, bear, beer, burr, the B E R months. So hopefully y’all. Enjoyed, uh, this episode, check out my other stuff that I’m doing. I got stuff on YouTube that I’m going to be doing a lot more of check me out on Facebook at facebook.com/sure.

One M podcast. I’m on Twitter and Instagram at w one N seven, eight. I’m, I was thinking about changing that cause it might be a little hard to find if like, you’re just hearing it, but. I don’t know. I’ve been using that username since I got on the internet.

So, um, but yeah, that’s about it. Um, don’t forget to subscribe if you use iTunes or, um, any other podcatcher that you use, subscribe to my podcast. And if you got time, go to iTunes and please rate the show. And I just want to say, thank you for listening and I will see you on the next episode. Take care now.

Bye.