You don’t need to be a shopaholic or a parent to enjoy a visit to the mall this holiday season.
With the activities and events Robinsons Malls have lined up for the next few weeks, Christmas in the different branches will not just be for kids.
At the recent formal launch of the retail chain’s holiday calendar, Arlene G. Magtibay, Robinsons Land Corporation general manager for commercial centers division, said the Christmas season at the various malls included both traditional activities and symbols of the annual celebration, as well as specially packaged offerings to give clients of all ages and from all walks of life a truly merry time.
Although the retail chain’s Christmas season did not start on Sept. 1, which is what many Filipinos consider the beginning of the holidays, it did commence early with a fireworks display in Robinsons Novaliches a few days into November, and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada formally lighting the 30-foot tree, with red and gold décor, at Robinsons Place Manila last week (Robinsons Magnolia has a 35-foot tree in elegant silver, blue and magenta).
The Robinsons Malls Christmas offering, as announced by Magtibay, would include the Giant Lantern Festival, including a competition, which had become an annual feature of Robinsons Starmills in Pampanga; musical shows and special staging of “Barbie and the Secret Door” (Dec. 5, Manila; Dec. 6, Galleria; and Dec. 7, Magnolia at 3 and 5 p.m.) and the Australian interactive musical play “Alice and the Christmas Wonderland” (Metro East, Palawan and Ilocos Norte, Nov. 29; Las Piñas, Tacloban and General Santos, Nov. 30; Lipa, Roxas and Malabon, Dec. 6; Pampanga, Iloilo and Butuan, Dec. 7; Santiago, Dec. 10; Novaliches, Angeles and Forum, Dec. 12; Dasmariñas, Otis and Pangasinan, Dec. 13; Santa Rosa, Bacolod and Dumaguete, Dec. 14; Imus, Dec. 19; Antipolo, Dec. 20; and Malolos, Dec. 21).
Singer-songwriter Bamboo will do a one-of-a-kind show in Manila on Dec. 12, Galleria on Dec. 13 and Magnolia on Dec. 21. All shows start at 6 p.m.
Beloved songs
Magtibay, Robinsons Malls general manager
The internationally-renowned, award-winning Philippine Madrigal Singers will “go caroling” in three Robinsons branches—Galleria, Dec. 14; Manila, Dec. 19; and Magnolia, Dec. 20. Their repertoire will include beloved foreign and Filipino Christmas songs. Shows start at 5 p.m.
The Ryan Cayabyab Singers will perform some of the most popular original works of the master composer and music professor, as well as classic Christmas songs. The group will be in Antipolo, Dec. 6; Las Piñas, Dec. 13; Malolos, Dec. 14; and Galleria, Dec. 19. Shows start at 5p.m.
Also performing in selected malls is Part Four, a four-man vocal group whose members were students at the Music School of Cayabyab. The group will perform Original Pilipino Music hits and Christmas carols at the Forum, Dec. 6; Imus, Dec. 7; Metro East, Dec. 13; Lipa, Dec. 14; Starmills, Dec. 20; and Dasmariñas, Dec. 21. Shows start at 5 p.m.
Chorale performances are also scheduled on Dec. 5, 12, 19, Magnolia; Dec. 14-19, Galleria; Dec. 12-14 and Dec. 22-23, Metro East; Dec. 16-18 and 22-23, Antipolo; Dec. 15-23, Dasmariñas; Dec. 16-21, Las Piñas; and Dec. 15-21, Forum. Shows start at 5 p.m.
In malls in the Visayas and Mindanao, local musical talents will bring Christmas cheer to visitors. The programs include not just carols, but also jazz and Broadway hits in some branches. Singing competitions will be held in several provincial malls.
Magtibay said this year’s lineup would make Christmas not just a wonderful time in Robinsons malls, but also the most enchanting time of the year.
Patrons will be dazzled by the spectacular display of thousands of Christmas balls, blinking lights in plush purple and magenta and other traditional holiday décor, providing the perfect
Manila
backdrop for automated reindeer wearing magnificent jeweled collars.
There will also be more fireworks displays: Lipa, Nov. 30, 7 p.m.; Starmills, Dec. 6, 7 p.m. and Dec 13, 9 p.m.; Luisita, Dec 23 and 30, 7 p.m.; Pangasinan, Dec. 20, 27, 30, 8 p.m.; Ilocos Norte, Dec. 24 and 31, 7 p.m.; Santiago, Dec. 22 and 28, 9 p.m.; Antipolo, Dec. 29, 8 p.m.; Las Piñas, Dec. 30, 8 p.m.; and Santa Rosa, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m.
Provincial branches will have animated displays—Sweet Holiday Fantasy, North Pole Adventure, Enchanting Mythical Christmas and Christmas Around the World—from Nov. 22 to Jan. 4.