By Jan Vicente B. Pekas
Our delight for Christmas is a phenomenon that starts as early as September. It begins on multiple locations and spreads like wildfire. In just a short time nearly every town, city, and province are under the influence of the Christmas fever. And not even the remote regions are immune from it. Students look forward to the Christmas vacation, employees anticipate bonuses, and many Filipinos are overjoyed to visit their families.
This phenomenon already existed before many of us were born, a tradition that stands tall, enduring all the destruction brought by natural and man-made calamities.
However, the pandemic is threatening to disrupt this tradition. It stands like a great wall preventing many Filipinos from visiting or seeing their loved ones.
Yet, as massive and disheartening this wall may look like, we are in possession of something that is harder or more effective. Our heads and brains.
Multiple restrictions were implemented during the early reign of the pandemic, yet only few were thoroughly followed. Now, fueled by the Christmas fever, more people will be emboldened to ignore restrictions that hold them from reuniting with their distant families.
With help from above, Filipinos will meet their loved ones.
And even with empty pockets, we will find a way to make this Christmas enjoyable for our famillies.
With bonfire and alcoholic drinks, any Filipino will have a great time, whatever the state of their wallets.
Christmas songs from the radio to lighten the mood, Christmas lights from the neighbors to illuminate the area, and a weather suited for stories to be told, not much effort has to be done to make our Christmas enjoyable. Just having the whole family together is enough.
Even with the many hurdles presented to us by the pandemic preventing us to see our families we always find ways. We should not let the Christmas high impair our rationality and just unconsciously move on to the next year.
2021 has not been kind to us, but it is not enough reason to forget about this year. As the year of 2021 holds many values and lessons needed to be learned.
Should we quickly move on from this year, without proper evaluation, and straying away from confronting the problems left behind by 2021, 2022 is bound to be the same as 2021. An excruciating year for humanity.
Humanitarian actions need more attention, so as to address the needs of the many families that have suffered from the pandemic. Spending time with our families is indeed one of the best ways to celebrate Christmas. But following the values of the man Christmas was made for remains the ultimate way to celebrate the holidays.
Our ancestors have modeled Christmas from European pagans’ festivals that celebrate the end of harvest and the passing of harsh winter.
Therefore, giving back to others for the kindness of nature, or God if you will, giving to the needy, and overall being generous should be the theme of any Christmas celebration. As we apply or reciprocate these values to others, we embody the ideals of Christ.
And it is these values that should remain with us through next year and the coming years. As we learn from our past years, we carry with us the ideals that will help us transform the next year into a better one.
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