Seasonal · Christmas 2026

The parol, five ways: Filipino Christmas lanterns worth hanging

From glowing Pampanga capiz stars to handmade abaca lanterns and a tiny parol for the tree, five kinds of parol and the safety checks to make before you plug one in.

Updated Oct 12, 20268 min read5 picksPrices checked Oct 12, 2026
AI sample render of a condo wall at night with glowing parols: a colourful capiz star, a round capiz lantern, two natural abaca parols with tails, a small cream star ornament and a multicolour LED parolAI sample render
1 AI sample render of our five picks, drawn from written descriptions of each product. The real product photos from Lazada are below.

Heads up: links to Lazada on this page are affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. This guide was researched with the help of AI tools. Here's how we pick.

Nothing says Pinoy Christmas quite like a parol in the window. It is the lantern we grew up making in school, the glow that tells the whole street the season has started, and one of the most beautiful crafts we have.

Parols now come in every material and budget, so we picked one strong example of each kind you can buy online, and we put safety first, because most capiz parols plug into the wall.

How we built this list

One great parol of each kind

A parol is the Filipino Christmas lantern, most often a five-pointed star with two tails. Lantern makers in San Fernando, Pampanga turned the bamboo-and-paper original into capiz, fabric and LED designs, so today there is a parol for every wall and budget.

We scored each parol on craft and material, the maker, safety (no cord, or a visible PS or ICC mark) and fair price. Real capiz and natural fibre ranked above plastic.

What we did

  1. Read parol craft sources, from the Pampanga lantern makers to DTI and Meralco safety guidance.
  2. Listed the kinds worth owning: capiz star, round Pampanga lantern, handmade abaca, a mini ornament and an LED parol.
  3. Compared Lazada listings for each kind, favouring named Filipino makers and checking every photo.
  4. Flagged every plug-in parol without a visible safety mark, and dropped listings whose details did not add up.
Shopping list based on: Wikipedia: Parol · Create Philippines: The craft and tradition of parul lives on · The Beat Asia: 5 Best Parol Makers in the PH · GMA News: 100 days before Christmas, colorful parols light up San Fernando, Pampanga

The picks at a glance

Prices checked Oct 12, 2026. Tap a name to jump to its full review.

#ProductBest forFromLink
1 Best capizJSC Special Capiz Parol, 18 in (LED) The main parol of the house, on a sala wall or inside a big window ₱2,800 View on Lazada
2 Best Pinoy touchLocalimade Abaca Parols with Tails, Set of 2 (8 x 11 in) The window (in front of the curtain lights) and the inside of the unit door ₱289 View on Lazada
3 Best Pampanga showpieceTori's Capiz 'Dayang Dayang' Parol, 20 in (all LED) A plain sala or dining wall that can take one big statement piece ₱2,518 View on Lazada
4 Best local handicraftMairenuel Handicrafts Native Christmas Star Ornament (cream) Adding handmade texture to a white tree or window ₱60 View on Lazada
5 Best budget LEDNAJIA LED Parol Wall Light (multicolour) A bright, budget parol for a wall, a gate or a window ₱269 View on Lazada

Before you buy a plug-in parol

Most capiz parols are made by small workshops and plug into the wall. DTI says covered lighting products must carry a PS mark or an ICC sticker before they are sold. None of the capiz parols below showed one in their listing photos, so ask the seller for a photo of the mark on the lights or box before you check out. If they can't show it, choose one of the cordless abaca parols instead.

Sources: DTI Bureau of Philippine Standards: PS and ICC Marks

Use it safely every night

Hang parols on a sturdy hook away from curtains, never plug several into one socket (no octopus connections), and switch them off before bed or before leaving home. Capiz becomes brittle over time, so wrap each one in cloth when you pack it away.

Sources: Interaksyon (Philstar): Meralco holiday electrical safety tips, GMA News: BFP tips for a fire-free holiday
Classic capiz star (lit)Best capiz
Product photo of JSC Special Capiz Parol, 18 in (LED) from its Lazada listingPhoto from the Lazada listing
From around ₱2,800Price checked Oct 12, 2026 · Sold by JSC Capiz Parol of Pampanga
View on Lazada

JSC Special Capiz Parol, 18 in (LED)

Research: buying and safety guidance

The classic Pampanga capiz star: real shell panes glowing in bold colours, from a shop named for Pampanga capiz parols.

Capiz is a thin, translucent shell, so light comes through it soft and jewel-toned. This 18-inch star layers red, green, blue and yellow capiz petals around a red centre, outlined in LEDs. It comes in 220V for home, or 110V for family abroad.

Size
18 in (per listing title)
Voltage
220V, or 110V for US/Canada
Panels
Capiz shell with LED outline

Good to know

  • Parols were traditionally made of bamboo and Japanese paper; modern ones also use plastic, metal and capiz shell. (Wikipedia)
  • Capiz is the shell of the windowpane oyster. It has long been used as a glass substitute because it is durable and lets light through. (Wikipedia)
  • Meralco advises using only Christmas lights with a PS mark or ICC sticker, and unplugging lights and lanterns before bed or when leaving home. (Interaksyon (Philstar))
Pros
  • Real capiz shell panes in a classic star shape
  • From a store named for Pampanga capiz parols
  • 220V for home, or 110V to send abroad
Cons
  • No PS mark or ICC sticker visible in the listing photo
  • Plug-in only, so it needs an outlet nearby

Best for

The main parol of the house, on a sala wall or inside a big window

Before you buy

Before checkout, ask the seller for a photo of the PS mark or ICC sticker on the lights. Choose 220V, use a sturdy hook and unplug it at bedtime.

Product photo of Capiz Poinsettia Parol, 20 in from its Lazada listing
Also beautifulCapiz Poinsettia Parol, 20 in

A round capiz lantern with a red-and-green poinsettia centre. It is plug-in too, with no PS mark or ICC sticker visible in the photo and few store details, so ask the seller for a photo of the mark before buying.

From around ₱1,750View on Lazada
A parol for the window or doorBest Pinoy touch
Product photo of Localimade Abaca Parols with Tails, Set of 2 (8 x 11 in) from its Lazada listingPhoto from the Lazada listing
From around ₱289Price checked Oct 12, 2026 · Sold by localimade_quezon
View on Lazada

Localimade Abaca Parols with Tails, Set of 2 (8 x 11 in)

Research: buying and safety guidance

A pair of handmade abaca parols in red and green: the Filipino Christmas symbol, with no cord and no floor space.

Condo guides suggest a parol on the wall instead of more on the floor. These handmade abaca parols have the classic crescent, star and tails, and need no power. Hang the red one in front of the curtain lights so it glows, and the green one on the door.

Size
8 x 11 in, set of 2 (per listing)
Material
Abaca fibre (per listing title)
Colours
Green, red, gold or cream (photo)

Good to know

  • Federal Land suggests decorating the walls to save floor space, including installing a parol on a wall. (Federal Land Knowledge Hub)
  • The parol is 'an iconic symbol of Filipino Christmas', and its most common form is a five-pointed star with two tails. (Wikipedia)
  • Abaca is a banana species native to the Philippines, and its fibre is woven into handicrafts. (Wikipedia)
Pros
  • Handmade abaca: natural fibre, not plastic
  • No cord, so it hangs anywhere
  • Two parols per order, in palette colours
Cons
  • Unlit; it needs the curtain lights behind it
  • Small (8 x 11 in), best on windows and doors

Best for

The window (in front of the curtain lights) and the inside of the unit door

Before you buy

Choose red and green to match the set. Hang them with clear thread from adhesive hooks, and keep them away from the stove and hot bulbs.

Pampanga-style round capiz lanternBest Pampanga showpiece
Product photo of Tori's Capiz 'Dayang Dayang' Parol, 20 in (all LED) from its Lazada listingPhoto from the Lazada listing
From around ₱2,518Price checked Oct 12, 2026 · Sold by Tori's Capiz Store of Handicrafts
View on Lazada

Tori's Capiz 'Dayang Dayang' Parol, 20 in (all LED)

Research: buying and safety guidance

A big round capiz lantern in the San Fernando style, from a named capiz shop, with flower-painted panes that look festive even unlit.

Large round, patterned parols are the San Fernando signature, known as 'parul sampernandu'. This 20-inch disc has tinted capiz panes painted with pink flowers and red, navy and violet petals, ringed with LED lights. It's a showpiece for a wall of its own.

Size
20 in (per listing title)
Lights
All LED (per listing title)
Design
'Dayang Dayang' round capiz

Good to know

  • Large disc-shaped electronic parols from Pampanga are called 'parul sampernandu', a spelling of 'parol San Fernando'. (Wikipedia)
  • A San Fernando lantern maker quoted in 2022 priced capiz lanterns for homes at about ₱1,800 to ₱2,500, depending on design and size. (Create Philippines)
  • The BFP says to buy only Christmas lights with PS and ICC marks, and to switch lights off in the wee hours when everyone is asleep. (GMA News)
Pros
  • Real tinted capiz panes, in the Pampanga disc style
  • From a named capiz handicraft store
  • 20 in: a true showpiece for one wall
Cons
  • No PS mark or ICC sticker visible in the listing photo
  • Pink and violet tones will not suit every room

Best for

A plain sala or dining wall that can take one big statement piece

Before you buy

Give it a bare wall so the pattern reads from across the room. Ask the seller for PS/ICC proof first, and unplug it before bed.

Handcrafted star ornamentBest local handicraft
Product photo of Mairenuel Handicrafts Native Christmas Star Ornament (cream) from its Lazada listingPhoto from the Lazada listing
From around ₱60Price checked Oct 12, 2026 · Sold by TRUSTED HANDICRAFTS PH by MAIRENUEL
View on Lazada

Mairenuel Handicrafts Native Christmas Star Ornament (cream)

Research: buying and safety guidance

A soft cream star from a local handicraft seller, frosted at the tips like a snowy bottle-brush tree.

It brings handmade texture to a white scheme for about the price of a snack, and the listing offers several colours, so choose cream or white. Hang one on the tree, or several down a ribbon in the window.

Type
Hanging star ornament (photo)
Seller
Local handicraft store (name)
Colours
Several (per listing title)

Good to know

  • A Sherwin-Williams colour manager quoted by Homes & Gardens notes a shift toward softer, more tactile holiday decor, and the article names cream, white and beige as ideal for a minimalist Christmas. (Homes & Gardens)
  • Interior designer Irene Gunter, quoted by Livingetc, has used hand-painted decorations inherited from her parents for years; handmade pieces become keepsakes. (Livingetc)
Pros
  • Handcrafted by a local seller
  • Soft texture adds depth to all-white decor
  • Several colours, so it can join other themes
Cons
  • Size isn't stated in the listing title
  • Fibre may shed a little; handle gently

Best for

Adding handmade texture to a white tree or window

Before you buy

Choose cream. Hang three at different heights from a thin white ribbon on a curtain rod for a simple window display.

LED wall parol (certified)Best budget LED
Product photo of NAJIA LED Parol Wall Light (multicolour) from its Lazada listingPhoto from the Lazada listing
From around ₱269Price checked Oct 12, 2026 · Sold by NAJIA MALL
View on Lazada

NAJIA LED Parol Wall Light (multicolour)

Research: buying and safety guidance

The budget LED parol, from a branded store whose photo shows a BPS product-safety mark with a license number.

LED parols are light, cheap and bright, so most homes have one. This NAJIA wall parol comes from the brand's own store, and its photo shows a Bureau of Philippine Standards 'Certified Product Safety' mark with a license number. Expect bold, moving colour.

Type
LED wall parol (per listing title)
Lights
Multicolour 'dancing' LEDs
Use
Indoor or outdoor (per listing)

Good to know

  • Pampanga makers pioneered electric parols with rotor systems; a 1957 rotor design by lantern-maker Rodolfo David became the template for commercial electric parols. (Wikipedia)
  • DTI says the PS mark and ICC sticker are the buyer's assurance of certified quality and safety, and ICC stickers can be checked with the ICC Verification Mobile App. (DTI Bureau of Philippine Standards)
  • Meralco says to avoid 'octopus' connections and to unplug Christmas lights and lanterns before going to bed or leaving home. (Interaksyon (Philstar))
Pros
  • Branded store (NAJIA MALL)
  • BPS product-safety mark shown in the photo
  • The lowest-priced lit parol in this guide
Cons
  • Plastic body with multicolour 'dancing' lights
  • Check the PS mark on the actual box when it arrives

Best for

A bright, budget parol for a wall, a gate or a window

Before you buy

When it arrives, find the PS mark on the product or box. Plug it into its own socket, no octopus wiring, and unplug it before bed.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: Parol
  2. Create Philippines: The craft and tradition of parul lives on
  3. The Beat Asia: 5 Best Parol Makers in the PH
  4. GMA News: 100 days before Christmas, colorful parols light up San Fernando, Pampanga
  5. DTI Bureau of Philippine Standards: PS and ICC Marks
  6. Interaksyon (Philstar): Meralco holiday electrical safety tips
  7. GMA News: BFP tips for a fire-free holiday

1 About the images: pictures marked "AI sample render" were generated with AI (Google Gemini) from written descriptions of our picks, for inspiration. They show close lookalikes styled in a room, not photos of the actual products, and may differ in size, colour and detail. The real product photos come from each product's Lazada listing and are shown unmodified.

About prices: prices were checked on Oct 12, 2026 and change often, and many listings have several options at different prices. Always check the final price, options and seller details on Lazada before you buy.

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