A MEANINGFUL CHRISTMAS: THE BEST GIFT TO OUR CELEBRANT

Photo from depositphotos.com

The kids watched out keenly until they wearied themselves out to sleep in waiting for Santa to pass over last night. Santa with his overworked nine flying reindeers have gotten so used in the drill of staying out of sight while children are still wide eyed and awake. This has been the scheme for years every late evening and overnight hours of Christmas Eve. Santa Claus in his red coat with white collar and cuffs, white-cuffed red trousers, and black leather belt and boots has mastered the tip-toeing and silent placing of the gifts made by Santa’s large number of elves. Children, being well aware of this fact as told to them by the elders, are still not giving up the chances of catching Santa someday (or shall I say “somenight”) on the act of delivering their Christmas presents.

I remember when we were kids we would get very much excited with Santa’s gift to us for Christmas. Until we have outgrown the idea of Santa Claus (because our parents finally revealed themselves), but still retain the tradition of gift-giving through exchanging of presents in various Christmas parties we attend with family, co-workers and friends.  

Unlike with the children, adults often get more stressed than relaxed with the season. Lots of preparation to deal with, Christmas parties to attend, gifts to buy, clothes to wear, foods to cook and the list going longer, not to mention the congested traffics, the overcrowded malls, the chaotic Divisoria, and the other side effects of the season’s busy preparations. As the famous line says, “Ang Pasko ay para sa mga bata” we adults, sometimes miss the perks of childhood every Christmas time. 

Although we outgrew the children ways of celebrating Christmas, the excitement didn’t and never will die, there’s the joyful feeling with Christmas approaching, not for Santa’s gift anymore but for the spirit of the season that comes with greater meaning: the celebrating of the birth of Jesus Christ.

photo from wallpaper4god.com

Jesus Christ is the real star of the season; we are celebrating Christmas as an annual commemoration of his birth. It is that one remarkable night of nativity that has given the world its renewed hopes, the coming of Messiah that saved the humanity from its dooms.  People often get overwhelmed with the left and right celebrations, getting fatty with lots of foods, pushing the level of drunkenness to its limit, ending the season broke when all that really matter is to celebrate by heart the season with outpouring loves and gratitude to Jesus Christ our saviour.

Let’s give Jesus Christ the best gift ever for his birthday, and that’s to live our life in His simplified ways of pursuing righteousness—“love the Lord your God” (Matt 22:37) and “love your neighbor as yourself” (v.39)

Happy Birthday Jesus Christ!

Merry Christmas everyone! Let us all have a meaningful one!