My son getting pulled over for running a YELLOW light by a PEATC cop angling for payback for working on Christmas Day was the last straw. It capped a month of barreling through a sea of Divisoria shoppers while weight lifting two or three or four heavy bags; wrapping gifts (I didn’t make it on time), cooking and preparing costumes till the dawn mass bells rang; and racking my sleep deprived brain for scripts.
I am now officially a non-fan of the Christmas season.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not joining Scrooge and saying, “Bah, humbug!” to Christmas. I’m not swearing off all the trappings and the decorations (I would love to dress up my home more if only I had the time).
I still love the reason for this season deeply and passionately. I’m still grateful to the Lord for the great gift of His Son.
What I don’t like is pressure and hassle that the celebration brings. Do we even remember who it’s all for in the mad rush to buy gifts, in practicing for Christmas presentations and in budgeting for the one hundred and one charitable causes that mushroom in December?
What I’m saying is there must be a better way to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. I’m looking for something more intimate and serene. A celebration where He is the important one. A celebration where He does not get substituted by other people and events.
So here I sit in the quiet of the 26th – a lull before the revelry of the New Year brings on another hectic round of wrapping gifts (yup, still doing that), partying and cooking – pondering on how I can honor the celebrant properly.
Maybe next year I can celebrate Christmas on the Feast of the Annunciation. After all life begins in the womb and this was when Mary was told she will be the mother of the Son of God – “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.” (Luke 1:31)
That will certainly be stress-less as only Jesus and I will be in His party. I can go on a personal retreat so we can really hang out and talk.
As for the Christmas gifts, I still have to give my family gifts on Christmas because the children look forward to that in our gatherings. But as for my friends and people I work or serve with, I want to think of a creative way to get around that.
I can give my Christmas gifts on their birthdays. That way my gift giving will be spaced out throughout the year and I can spend more time honoring the celebrant in December. I can also use the extra time to savor the memory of each blessing He has gifted me with for the year.
Or maybe I can pick another special holy day to give out my Christmas gifts. Let me think about that. I should come up with something by New Year’s Day because my fondest wish is to be able to enjoy the Christmas season next year and be a fan again.
Or maybe, you can buy your Christmas gifts early, wrap them and store them at home in such a way they wouldn't gather dust and just bring them out come Christmas.
ReplyDeleteBut I got what you meant...most of us have forgotten what we really celebrate and often times, even forget to greet Him on His birthday especially when we have become busy giving gifts and greeting each other a merry Christmas. A lot even decide not to honour Him by being present with Him during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on Christmas day.
But what I find really disappointing is the fact that more and more people have even erased Christ from Christmas. Instead of greeting each other a Merry Christmas, people greet each other happy holidays. I mean, what does that mean, really? I also see season's greetings and warm wishes everywhere, of what, I really don't know.
I wish we could just bring back Christ in the celebration of Christmas, and maybe, only then, we would really feel what Christmas is all about.
I definitely agree with these Tita. :)
ReplyDeletesakto!
ReplyDeleteHi Kaye,
ReplyDeleteI actually bought my gifts early but all the Christmas activities overtook me and I failed to wrap them on time. :)) Oh well, better luck next year.
So glad to find people who feel the same way. (Tin & Osy too). Maybe we can start a different celebration of Christmas.