In the Philippines, November is the soft-opening of Christmas. Malls glow with lanterns, tiangges overflow with gift bundles, and grocery carts roll out with spaghetti packs and quezo de bola, the “must have” for the Christmas meal.

But November preparations also bring a quiet environmental cost. Long before noche buena, before the rush of Simbang Gabi or the chaos of Christmas Eve traffic, the plastic problem begins—right at the start of our holiday planning.

Anyone who has walked through the night markets of many cities and towns in November knows the familiar sight: mountains of plastic bags carried by shoppers ticking off their Christmas lists early. Even online shopping adds to the waste—packages wrapped in layers of bubble wrap landing at our doorsteps almost daily. By mid-November, waste collectors in many cities already notice the rise in garbage volume. And this is just the beginning.

Local scenes show the reality more clearly. In many barangays, the market’s alleys are lined with tenants restocking for the season: plastic sachets, plastic cups, plastic cutlery, plastic packaging for holiday food. The next day, the same plastics clog the drainage canals beside them.

In Metro Manila, a short November rain shower is enough to make certain streets glisten with floating wrappers, spoons, and cups. These are not yet from Christmas parties or holiday feasts; they are from the early shopping and preparations we love.

But November, precisely because it is the starting point of the season, is also the best time to change our habits.

There is something beautiful about the Filipino impulse to prepare early. We want Christmas to be smooth, joyful, abundant. This same foresight can also extend to our environmental choices. If we can plan our shopping and menus a month in advance, we can also plan how to reduce the waste that comes with them.

Some communities are already starting. More public markets and grocery stores now encourage bring-your-own bags and containers. Small shops offer discounts for customers who bring reusable gift bags, coffee mugs, or jars for holiday treats. These are small, practical steps—exactly the kind of adjustments November allows us to make before the December frenzy takes over.

Even our early Christmas traditions can be reimagined. Parol-making workshops in schools are reviving the use of bamboo and recycled paper instead of cellophane. Some offices designate November as “reusable month,” asking employees to start bringing tumblers and food containers so it becomes a habit before party season. Many families are preparing “low-waste” wrapping options—brown paper, reusable cloth pouches, or repurposed shopping bags decorated with colorful ribbons.

The truth is simple: November sets the tone for the kind of Christmas we will have—and the kind of environmental footprint we will leave.

If our November is filled with mindful choices, our December will be lighter not only in spirit but also in waste. Imagine entering the holiday month knowing we have already minimized the plastic we will add to overflowing landfills, esteros, and Manila Bay.

Christmas in the Philippines is the longest celebration in the world. Perhaps it can also be the longest season of caring for the environment that cradles our islands.

And maybe the real preparation for Christmas begins not with shopping lists, parol lights, or the first taste of bibingka, but with a simple commitment: that the joy we create this season will not become the plastic pollution someone else must clean up later.