The Philippines has one of the longest Christmas in the world. We usually feel the Christmas spirit starting in September. Cool winds are felt, well depends on the weather. Christmas songs are played on the radio, television, and other forms of media. Sometimes we do countdowns to add thrill while waiting for Christmas day.
During this period we already start buying various items to be given as gifts to our friends and loved ones. And be honest, you also looked for some unused gifts from the previous years and recycled them as gifts again. Although a bad idea, but that’s the reality.
Before the pandemic, we loved to go to night markets, especially the one located at the heart of Manila. I don’t know but there’s always the thrill of pushing your way through the crowd just to buy a shirt or underwear. We also tend to buy any item even if we do not need them. We just tell ourselves that the item may be of use in the future.
The length of Christmas preparation is probably enough for us to make a list of people to whom we will give presents. This is also a great time to bring out all the Christmas decors from the storage and display them in your home. When the Christmas bonus finally arrives, we are able to buy the things that we have planned over the year.
It is sometimes fun to go to the malls and see people scurrying to buy the appliance or gadgets they love. Girls also have their hair done to prepare for the parties that they will attend. The thing is, there are many things to be done before the much-awaited day arrives.
Now imagine a world without Christmas. Probably it’s hard to tell a child why Christmas would not be coming this year. It may also be hard to imagine if there is no Christmas in the world. Just like some habits, the absence of Christmas may cause anxiety to most individuals. How will you be able to describe to a person a world without Christmas? It is like saying a garden without the natural colors of the environment. A world that looks like an old black and white movie. A scenario that is dull and boring.
Christmas is also a time to reunite with our friends and relatives. Family members from other countries come home to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones. This is the only time in the year that we can do so many things in just so little time. How can you do this if Christmas is canceled? There is a tendency that families will not be complete. A sad scenario especially for kids.
No Christmas also means that the -ber months are just like any ordinary day where you go to work or school and come home to sleep. A routine that we experience almost every day. No Christmas also means that Christ was not born to atone us from our sins. Everything may probably be in chaos.
The good news is that this topic is just hypothetical. Christmas will still come every year no matter what the situation is. We have experienced it during the pandemic. Even though families are on lockdown, we still get the chance to enjoy the season with our loved ones.
