The Christmas Village at the Baguio Country Club that used to have elaborate and trend-setting designs every year has gone back to the essence of the season, the birth of Jesus Christ.

Dragons spewing fire, Super Friends on standby to answer the call of service, and cartoon characters that were “in” during the year are absent in the 2020 Christmas Village of this city’s lone membership resort facility.

The “village” has been made accessible to the public since its first year more than a decade ago as an added attraction for locals and tourists during the holiday season.

It features the snow show, the fountain, and the Nativity play as a mainstay.

A pre-recorded audio narrating how the Angel Gabriel told Mary that she would conceive the son of God is played in the background as a lady acting the part of Mary enters the center of the village.

Another character who plays the part of the Angel Gabriel approaches Mary.

The Nativity play, which narrates the events that unfolded up to the birth of Jesus Christ and the arrival of the three magi, is repeated every hour as a reminder of the reason for the season.

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) continues to pose a threat and the crowding of people is prohibited, the club has set guidelines for entry into the village.

There is a limit to the number of people entering the venue and they are led out after an hour. About 15 minutes are spent on sanitation and disinfection before a new batch enters.

Andrew Pinero, the Club’s manager for member and community relations, said this year, the village carries the “Paskong Pinoy” (Filipino Christmas) theme.

“We wanted it simple that will exhibit our being Filipinos. Ang Pinoy kasi, kapag Pasko, ang isip pamilya, pagsasama-sama bilang iisa (During Christmas, Filipinos think of family togetherness), and we wanted to showcase who we are as Filipinos,” Pinero said

The village is decorated with “parol” (lantern) in different sizes and features a “bahay kubo” (nipa hut) where traditional Filipino snacks such as banana-cue, turon, and bibingka (rice cake) could be bought at cheap prices. A lechon area has also been set up.

There is also a carabao and a man pulling it.

The “Jeepito”, the smallest jeepney, is parked inside the village for a photo opportunity.

At the center of the village is a fountain with several Mindanao vintas (Muslim boats) on it.

The snow show, a favorite especially among children, is presented twice a day.

“We opened it (the village) to serve as a beacon of hope for all of us that together, we will come out safe, alive and we will recover from the devastation of the pandemic to our lives and our economy,” Pinero said.

He said without anything happening due to the pandemic, the village would serve as a break for residents who just want to have a new site to see.

The Christmas Village, which runs until Jan. 10, 2021, is also a reminder that Baguio’s tourism needs to come alive as thousands of people depend on it for livelihood, Pinero said.

The local government opened its borders to tourism in September with the first registrants arriving on October 15.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong said this month, the city has so far logged 5,000 tourist arrivals, with a high of 1,200 tourists in a single day.

Magalong said while this is not comparable to previous records, there is a need to start somewhere so that the people could start getting back their jobs.

He noted that only the Country Club and Camp John Hay get bookings of about 5 percent, which he said is sad, but the city has to strike a balance between opening up the economy and the safety of the people.

“We are still in a pandemic. That is why we need to calibrate – safety, slowly, surely,” Magalong said. (PNA)