The first giant parol was made by Francisco Estanislao in 1908, which marked the start of parol-making. A parol consisted of a five-pointed star made from bamboo strips which were covered with papel de Japon (Japanese paper) and illuminated either by candles or carbides to form a five-pointed star. From that time onwards, Filipinos have created their parol designs using six- to eight-pointed stars that are decorated with a variety of materials
Pampanga’s parol is derived from the Spanish word farol, which means “lantern” or “light.” In the early days of electricity in Pampanga, the parol was illuminated by light bulbs. The advent of dancing lights was soon followed by the invention of the rotor, a mechanism that made the lights dance as they should. Several materials are used in modern Christmas lanterns today, including shells, plastic, and fiberglass, to create tantalizing light displays that can be found in today’s Christmas lanterns.
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