It gives me great pleasure to utter this greeting in our language although I do not get much chance as most, even our own “kababayan” greet one another in English; “Merry Christmas!”
The much-awaited day of the year will soon be here. The preparation starts early, usually in November, right after Halloween. It usually starts with the Santa Claus parade, which signals the beginning of extended shopping hours. Then the Christmas lights on, windows and front lawns start to glow and Christmas songs are heard over the radio and on television. Different TV shows give suggestions on how to prepare all the Christmas goodies to serve on this festive days.
Commercial promotions for Christmas awaken the consciousness of the public that it is time to start shopping for presents. They also give the young ones (as well as the elder ) ideas on what they hope they would get for Christmas.
In this age of highly developed technology, even three year olds may want an IPOD or a robot or any of these little games that are available for them.
The problem is they are quite expensive and if the giver has several children who expect these presents from the person, they are enough to put one in financial trouble. Of course there is the plastic card and the temptation to get a lot of things without producing the cash that one does not have.
Christmas is a time when most people tend to be generous. But there is that nagging feeling that this generosity is not from the heart but more from our ”amor propio”. We are expected to give, not because we truly feel we should give. We are concerned about what those who expect something from us, be the close family members, friends or probably someone from whom we owe a sense of gratitude, or one whom we feel we ought to please, would think about us.
In some cases, gift-giving is a form of reciprocity. We think of returning the gesture of a family member or friend who remembered us the previous Christmas. This is also the idea behind the exchange of gifts that we often have in office Christmas parties. I have heard of people who were disappointed and felt cheated in receiving something very much lower in value than the one they gave.
Of course there are those who really give presents from the heart. There was this news item about a family of four generations who gathered presents from each member to give to a fire station gathering gifts for the needy in honour of their family matron who celebrated her centenarian year. They did not leave a return address. The fire station had it published as a way of saying thank you to the family
The “Toy Mountain” campaign of the Salvation Army and CTV is a way of teaching young ones to give rather than expect to receive. Parents with their children and teachers with their students come with toys to contribute in building the “Toy Mountain.”
The Yonge Street Mission reminds us that, it takes only $3.11 to make a festive dinner for the homeless and the needy. Of course, that is because that meal will be prepared and served by volunteers. The money will just be for the ingredients.
There are very many selfless gestures that demonstrate the true spirit of gift giving at Christmas time. In our church, the three choirs and a visiting group, “Vocal Horizons” held a Christmas concert which was free for all those who attended. There was even a sumptuous reception after the concert which lasted for more than an hour wherein church members had the opportunity to chat and meet new friends. There were baskets for donations for a refugee family that the church is sponsoring to come to Canada, who are arriving sometime in January.
The choir presentation of Christmas hymns were indeed heart-lifting. The members spent considerable time preparing for that concert contributing their musical talents.
It is my fervent hope that gift-giving at Christmas time would not forget the reason for celebrating this holiday. Most children relate gift-giving with Santa Claus. There is nothing wrong about that belief but something is amiss. It does not include the information that the first gift-giving was made by the three kings who searched for the Infant Jesus by following the star that showed the place where the Lord was born.
Christmas is a religious holiday for Christians. All the traditions that developed related to Christmas are related to the birth of Christ. The celebration of Christmas is a way of affirming our faith in Christianity. To celebrate Christmas without Christ does not really carry the spirit of the season.
It brings me great sadness that some schools tend to avoid Christmas celebrations that include Christ. The excuse is the presence of some children who are not Christians. This is a democratic country where all religions are respected. We tolerate celebrations of other religions. We do not force those who are not Christians to celebrate Christmas. Why should we deny our Christian children of their celebration of the first Christmas?
As we hurry and scurry preparing our presents for Christmas. Let us recall that Infant born in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes lying on the hay.
Merry Christmas!
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