Good tidings! The Season of Advent has begun.
Every December 25, the world celebrates the birth of the Holy Baby in Bethlehem.
Joy to the world! Jesus, the Christ, is come! Indeed, it is a Holy day.
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“Season’s Greetings!” and “Happy Holidays!” are both politically correct.
However, it is quite awkward to use the catchphrases nowadays when world politics needs a lot of correcting.
Be that as it may, greeting all and sundry a “Merry Christmas!” is still most appropriate during the season for the Reason.
Thus said, KEEP CHRIST in CHRISTMAS.
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Many people, mostly politicians, seem to think that they know best of what is good for me.
Incidentally, I never have to listen to them or heed their advice.
After all, none of them is my mother.
Further, not one of them belongs to my Belen.
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It’s not too late. Write, sign and post Christmas cards.
Nothing comes next to the warmth that engulfs and captures a soul who receives a personal Christmas greeting.
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Back in the day, my mom would pick up the loveliest Christmas cards at Good Earth Emporium in Avenida Rizal, the National Book Store in Cubao or at that small street corner book shop along Escolta; even before she draws cash for the family’s simple and traditional Noche Buena.
By the look of her wrinkles today, she must be thankful that gift cards and credit cards were not in vogue then.
In past Christmases, my grandchildren would give me folded pieces of bond paper on which they drew images descriptive and symbolic of Christmas and scribble down a Yuletide message.
These I kept in my personal files to be near to my heart for a lifetime.
So many times, these original Christmas well-wishers adorned the Christmas Tree we learned to put up when we moved to Canada.
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Toronto radio stations are said to play Christmas traditional carols and pop tunes as soon as the first snow falls.
My friend thinks of something else: “When flakes and flurries defy gravity, try shampoo.”
If you are bald, steer clear of King Kong, who also dislikes winter but is said to be fond of roll-ons.
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Christmas is in the air, with all its wintry trimmings and ornaments and festive condiments.
The long wait is over; overweight begins.
Just stay healthy. If you indulge, you get the bulge.
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Noel! It’s the time of year when kids expect your presence so they can unwrap your presents.
Likewise be ready when the children look for gifts from the red-garbed, chimney-sliding, bearded burly old man from the North Pole, who may be substituted with three wise and regal men from the east; and who may all be substituted by a plausible sales clerk at a mall.
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Someone’s theory of relativity seems to work well for kids from one to ninety-two this season.
As posited: More relatives, more presents.
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Kris Kringle is always fun, exciting, spirited and surprising.
Perchance you forget to get the exchange gift ready, just shrug your shoulders and say “Sorry, senior moment.”
Or explain with sure-fire childlike confidence: “The dog ate my homework.”
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My dad, who passed some 30 or so years ago, once said: “If you found your present under the Christmas tree, you must be in the wrong house.”
Nothing of the real thing really adorned any space of the places we moved into every now and then.
But I appreciate, to this day, how he found ways to make sure that members of the family had something to have and to hold on Christmas Day and beyond.
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It is often said: “It’s not the gift. It’s the thought that counts.”
Really? Next year, I’ll save a lot of pennies for your thoughts.
Please note that those on the Naughty List won’t even let you cross their mind.
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No gloves and no punches, it is Boxing Day on December 26; perhaps, an extension of Black Friday etc.
Manny Pacquiao, move aside or be wrapped up. We expect mall sale fights and corner counter clashes.
Is that what they call the Christmas rush or the winter mood swing?
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“Are you kidding me?” a 10th Grade lad asked, after learning that the December 4 snowed-in strike of education workers and teachers in Toronto and across Ontario did not the start the Christmas break.
The next day after school, he told me: “It is sunny but windy outside. I can’t wait to vote, a tough choice between iconic Santa Claus and the jolly Elves and sort of infamous Uncle Scrooge and the Grinch.
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Wetaminit, kapeng mainit!
May nagtanong: “Bakit si Mang Kulas, tinawag na santa? ‘Di ba lalaki siya?”
Ang tanong ay sinagot ng isa pang tanong: “Eh, bakit sa dasal ay ‘Aba Ginoong Maria’?”
Explanations and opinions are teeming.
Whatever, let us simply respect two of the greatest characters who always make Christmas a joyful and meaningful time of the year, both from the Godly and human points of view.
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Half-snowy, half-sunny Friday followed, when the 10th Grade lad enjoyed a no-school PA Day.
By the looks of it, students may be having more pre-Christmas breaks before their Christmas break.
Queen’s Park and academic workers do not appear to be reaching a classroom compromise soon.
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Meanwhile, millennials (also called Gen Y) are scratching their heads to see if they need to buy shampoo.
At the back of their minds, however, is that distraction of who to vote next time – the good, the bad or the ugly.
Pray that their Jurassic counterparts like me would not forget that there is no candidate named Wisely.
I just remembered. I forgot to greet you a MERRY CHRISTMAS, did I not?
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We know! It is better to give than to receive.
But Raptors, giving up games – three in a row — are very disappointing to avid fans like me.
How can Toronto be a back-to-back champ-wich?
Gotta ask Steady and Spicy.
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Prophets of doom and gloom are to be taken with a grain of salt, if not dismissed outright.
Do the right thing, no matter what. Life is to be lived, not to be survived.
Have a blast; forget about another “Big Bang” that wiped out the Dino Age. Watch Frozen 2 again?
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Beware of the prophets of boom, sweet lips that like to swipe all your candy bars off your pockets.
When they start talking about false profits, tell them to scram or end up behind iron bars.
If anything is good to be true, then it is as bad as an outright lie.
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Lastly, let us all embrace the truth of Christmas – peace on earth and goodwill and kindness to all.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! #####