‘Tis the season to be jolly, and nothing beats being with loved ones during this time. Here are 5 Quezon City Christmas activities to indulge in with the whole family.

1) See a show. Christmas often brings about a bevy of exciting acts that would be fun to watch with the whole family. A perfect example is Disney on Ice, a skating spectacle that features figure skaters as beloved Disney characters performing to popular tunes from the various Disney films they come from. This event is often held at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, and is currently selling tickets.

2) Go bargain shopping. Numerous bazaars, or tiangges in the local language, pop up all over the place during Christmas, giving everyone endless options on where to go to do their gift shopping. Going with the family gives you the chance to see what each of you would like to have without having to spend too much for each other’s presents. After all, it’s the thought that counts, and isn’t the act of giving more important than the item being given? Popular bazaar hotspots include the ones at the Greenhills Shopping Center and Divisoria.

3) Watch the UP Lantern Parade. Held annually during the Christmas holidays, this parade of delightfully creative lanterns are made by the students of the different colleges and organizations of the University of the Philippines Diliman. It is a charming way to celebrate the festive season and is open even to non-students of the state university.

4) Attend a midnight mass. Locally referred to as Simbang Gabi, this is a deeply traditional activity for a predominantly Christian country. It spans 9 days of attending masses during the wee hours of the morning to honor the birth of Jesus Christ.

5) Enjoy the holidays at a Quezon City hotel. This is a fantastic way to spend some time together. There are several accommodation providers in the city that make inviting Christmas retreats, and a lot of them have great promos you can take advantage of. One is Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, which is currently offering discounts to guests who make their Christmas accommodation reservations early. Aside from the special rates, you get to use the hotel’s gym and swimming pool, and enjoy breakfast for up to 2 persons when you choose its Room With Breakfast rates. You’ll need to arrange your stay fast, though. Booking period for this promo is until December 9, 2011 only, and is applicable for reservations from December 18, to 30, 2011, except on December 24. Certainly not bad as far as Christmas hotel deals go. So what are you waiting for? Plan your Quezon City Christmas activities now!