Cagayan de Oro’s “Heritage Hotel” continues to live up to its billing as “The Heart of the City” with the unveiling last weekend of its’ traditional Christmas Village.
VIP Hotel Xmas Village Unveiling Invite
And a beloved tradition it is, now on its ninth year, and entering its first decade in 365 more days into the hallowed realms of Kagay-anons Christmas Culture and Heritage.
The VIP Hotel “Christmas Village” was started in December 2008 and has become a tradition every First Sunday of Advent by the Canoy Family which owns the establishment.
Calle Specialities for the Cocktails
VIP Hotel was the city’s first ‘5-star’ hotel. In the city’s younger days it was the place to be whenever you had a social or business affair. It was the axis upon which the city’s night life turned.
Replete with miniature houses, churches, carousels and other carnival rides, the “Christmas Village” is the brainchild and master work of Ma. Theresa Teza Canoy-Sambile, youngest daughter of the late Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) Founder Henry and Inday Canoy.
A security guard admires The VIP Hotel Christmas Village during its unveiling 03 Dec 2016 (photo by Mike Baños, NPN)
It’s been an annual game for the viewers to guess which are the new items in the village collection includes selected items from the famous Lemax Village Collection and Department 56 which feature moving figures, lights and music.
“The other items such as lights and trees we got individually but we made the bridges and roads ourselves,” she added. Later, miniatures made in China have also made their way into the growing winter wonderland.
Added attractions for this year’s VIP Christmas Village are some members of Charlie Canoy’s RC Air Force (photo by Mike Baños, NPN)
An added attraction for this year’s collection are some choice selections from Charlie Canoy’s RC Air Force hung from the ceiling like Baron Manfred Von Richtofen (better known as ‘The Red Baron’) Fokker DR.1 Triplane, a British SE-5, and Louis Blériot’s Type XI monoplane which made the first manned flight from France to England across the English Channel on 25 July 1909.
After a brief talk from Eileen E. San Juan, CGC Board Director of the Canoy Group of Companies (CGC), Fr. Joseph Montemajor, SSJV proceeded to bless this year’s edition of the Christmas Village and an Advent Prayer, following another tradition.
Councilor Jay Roa Pascual, Mrs. Inday Canoy and Eileen San Juan cut the ribbon The VIP Hotel Christmas Village during its unveiling 03 Dec 2016 (photo by Mike Baños)
Mrs. Inday Canoy, Councilor Jay Roa Pascual (city council committee chair for tourism) and Ms. San Juan cut the ribbon to the Christmas Village followed by the lighting of its lights and other effects.
“We hope our fellow Kagay-anons bring their children here during the holidays to share a part of their childhood memories similar to what they experienced with the former moving Christmas displays of the old Coca-Cola plant along Osmeña street and the famous COD Dept. Store animated mannequins in Cubao and Araneta Center,” Ms. San Juan said.
Officers and Members of COHARA and the City Tourism Council join the unveiling festivities
In another nod to tradition, members of the Alay sa Kapansanan Group presented a medley of Christmas carols complete with choreography and live accompaniment.
Present to grace the occasion were the Canoy family members led by Mrs. Inday Canoy, Charlie Canoy, Don Canoy, Teza Sambile, Gaygay Escobar, and Eileen San Juan. Also present were notable officers and members of the Cagayan de Oro City Council led by Tess Picardal, and the Cagayan de Oro Hotel & Restaurant Association (COHARA) led by President Nelia Lee.
The Canoy Family enjoys cocktails after the unveiling
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