COD Christmas Display Lives On



The Greenhills Christmas on Display. This year's theme: Christmas in Wonderland



On my other blog, http://www.purpleplumfariy.blogspot.com/, I had previously featured the COD Christmas display that was transferred from the old Manila COD Department store building in Cubao to the Greenhills Shopping Center in Greenhills, San Juan. However, much to the disappointment of Filipino families who frequent the display, when the COD department store had closed down, the display also had to be stopped. But only for a while. It was soon revived by the same people behind the show when the Greenhills Shopping Center offered them to mount the shows again, but this time in San Juan. Mr. Alex Rosario, the brains behind the show that started 50 years ago (whose family owned the old Manila COD), who's now 84 years old is still at the helm of things when it comes to the COD Christmas display. His son, Rey, has followed his dad's footsteps to make sure that the tradition won't die.

 For those born in the '70s up to the late 90's, I'm sure you guys are quite familiar with this annual Christmas display with different themes each year. According to Mr. Joey Santos, Greenhills Shopping Center General Manager, as early as the month of February each year, they'd start working on the display and brainstorming on concepts and materials to be used.

Santos said what makes the present animatronic display different from the past COD shows is that aside from being much bigger, the technology being used has become more sophisticated in recent years. “Presently, the show is bigger and we make use of electronics and automation. It’s three-dimensional. Aside from these, Pinoy or homegrown ang paggawa nito,” he said.

“To me, I think the COD show is the biggest Christmas promotion in town. The recall is huge. The people who come to see the show include not only the people of this generation, they also bring their kids, family members. Maganda rin ang feedback ng aming tenants because it helps Greenhills become stronger,” he said.

Santos, at the same time, said their vision is to keep the COD animatronic alive in the next few years because for them, this is their small contribution to the Filipino family and society as a whole.

Greenhills Shopping Center Christmas Display Show starts at 6:30PM everyday from Mondays-Sundays until January 2, 2011. Admission is FREE! What's more, there's lots of tiangge (really bargain items and goodies) and food kiosks to choose from before the show starts. I strongly suggest be there early as parking is quite difficult, and to get yourselves seats.