Yours, Mine, Our 'Christmas' (12/22/08)

Fact: No, I am not a Roman Catholic, no I don't also believe that Christ was born on the 25th of December, I don't even care when his earth birthday really was, I don't believe in Santa but I do believe that December is my most favorite month, truly because of the HOLIDAYS, the gifts, the decorations, the culmination of the entire year and also due to MY birthday. Now before anyone of you would react, please do read the entire thing first.

Two weeks ago, we had a different preacher at our church (Church Of Christ. Nope, not the Latter Day Saints or whatever words on or before those three words. Just plain COC.) because our regular was invited in Mindanao. It wasn't the sermon but for a part of it he did mentioned about 'Christmas'. He was talking that for 5 years he haven't have anything on their table on the 25th, no decorations, no gifts, banned carolers and inaanaks. Hmm. I believe when he ever visits the house at this time, I'm pretty sure he'd faint.

Yes, our house has christmas decors even if the rest of us (meaning church members) doesn't, we have gifts beside (not underneath, it's hard to clean) the 2-yr old Christmas tree (after we stopped decorating that small tree we previously had which is as almost as old as me *I think), we even have a small feast for OUR family. Yes. Just us, me and my three sisters with my parents (oh, and usually the family dog). Bad enough to be seen like this I'd say. But there is something with this tradition of ours. But first I need to talk about some things which would make me sound like an atheist or cynical but I wish you'd get the point.

If you are to ask people around, asking what do they think of Christmas you would usually get an astounding Christ's birth. That is if you ask them with a camera on hand or it may be a well-practiced answer which was, by the way, taught to us by parents. But do most of these people really mean it? Well, kids may not know who Papa Jesus really is but they do know that 25th is His (supposedly) birth. As kids they believe what they are told but they usually don't know and may not even understand who He really is and why was He even brought to earth in the first place. But how about those adults? Or even teens?

I surmise they would always say those given answers because IT is afterall, the right and the only answer to vocally tell everyone. But do they really mean it? Or is it filled with: 'Christmas party on Saturday', 'What do I give my bf?', 'How much would Ninang give me this time?', 'Argh calories'

, 'When would they ever give us our 13th Month pay?!', 'Have to go shopping', 'I'd ask mom if we'd rather spend the holidays touring HK Disneyland'. The list is endless. I think most people say that it is for Christ but is it really? I doubt.

When Christ was born on whatever date that is, there wasn't any preparation at all. Joseph and Maria wasn't exactly that ready to fix a feast or even wrap gifts to give to their first born child. The Magis did, because they thought it is the right thing to do. He is the King afterall. That is how a King should be treated, that was what they thought of as right. But given all the commercialization of Christmas and everything else concerned with it today, I guess we have gone far from the simplicity of it, and just like an old forgotten word, became obsolete.

Yes obsolete. Because no matter how you put it, or to voice it out or even throw thousands or even millions of pesos at being philanthropic as you are, as you were brought up into this world there is no sense in doing those acts all for the sake that IT IS Christmas. Carolers who say they are for good cause are just like those people who throw their kids on the street to beg because they believe that at this times, IT IS Christmas. IT IS Christmas. That's the problem. And I don't even know how to type it down to have people see it in my eyes.

So now that I've put that down, you may think that I maybe a big fat (i'm trying to lose fat...hahaha) hypocrite. Celebrating an event I don't believe in the first place. But as I've said before, I don't believe in Christmas. But I do believe in this wonderful memory why we even have 'christmas' in our home.

Once Iasked my mom why we even have one since our relatives from the provinces don't have Christmas. I was younger by then but I still remember her answer (which is in Filipino, but for the sake of this article I'd just translate it to English), 'We have Christmas because we (my mom and dad) thought that you are kids and you don't understand yet.' I still grew teary-eyed with that in mind. They thought of US first.

 Of how, that no matter how they would put it, we won't still get it why some kids have toys and food and decorations and trees and candy on the 25th while we haven't. And so they made us Christmas. Something that we'd look forward to every year where we greet and hug and kiss and eat and tear those gifts on the strike of midnight. We don't usually eat at the same time because of classes and work but at this moment, at those moments, those were the Christmas that I remember. Those christmas when we do the grocery and cook and watch tv and guess what things are under those wrappers. That is my christmas. My family's christmas. I knew God was in the center of it all but still. Even if the Bible does not tell us to celebrate it on the 25th but this was, our, my family's time out. Our own Christmas (weeping now, can't see monitor).

Now let me ask you, do you really celebrate His birth? Is it really at the upmost concern of your Christmas? I won't know your answer but atleast be honest with yourself. Stop using His name in vain, in the hopes of looking good, or feeling good to use as an excuse why you are spending this much on Holidays. I still don't believe I'm celebrating His birth. And I don't even care when. I should celebrate the life that He gave me and He still would rule my life for all the days of my years. I don't need Christmas to show off that I am happy that He lived. All I know is that Christmas for me is a good enough alibi to remember a memory that brought 'Christmas' to our house. And that reason is well good enough I believe Christ would always understand.