"It's beggining to look alot like Christmas" as the song goes.

Year after year, on Christmas eve, we gather ourselves to this one room in our home where the christmas tree is.. Fully adorned by colorful lights and paired with adorable figurines and a tree bathed with the freshest scent of pine, as children eagerly wait for midnight to strike and finally gather their toys, candies and sugar rolls from underneath the tree, or pull them out from santas socks where mom hanged near the fireplace.
And Mom, dear sweet mom,.. tired and proud. She makes her way out of the kitchen displaying our "noche buena" handa, like her famous homebaked caramelized ham, her special fruitcake, tasty pudding and alot more which seemed to be an endless parade of heavenly goodies,... while Dad and with the rest of the relatives fill the house with their cheers backed by a christmas album played in the stereo or perhaps your Uncle's version of Deck the Halls medley in G minor as he strikes the keys in a grand piano.

The night gets deeper and everything starts to get colder, but each of us warmly wrapped in a blanket of love felt radiating through the room. These are few of the important things on how we came to know what Christmas is. One night of love binding and spirited gift-giving lifts us all up to a satisfying feeling which lead us to believing that we found the true meaning of Christmas.

But how do we prepare for the celebrated birth of our saviour?... Have we all been looking forward to celebrating Christmas with the amount of food in our table or count the number of gifts we have received? Perhaps we might've forgotten to prepare ourselves spiritually, as what the true celebration of Christmas is really all about.

Now, let me be a ghost of Christmas past and take you back on one Tusday morning, 18 days before christmas. I overheard a couple of people expressing their disappointment of going through the holiday. During the course of the conversation, one guy expressed with a little content of exasperation "Haaaay, Pasko na naman" followed by another statement "sa totoo lang, para sa bata lang ang pasko", and answered by another, saying "Maybe if you're rich, then christmas is for you too". As I listen to their conversation... I can't help but ask "Maybe they're right,.. What is Christmas for?" or "What meaning and purpose does celebrating Christmas have in my life?" Nothing else came to mind except that all the giving will really cost alot!!!

As I started walking, I tried to forget the negativity that took over me and tried to replace it with  thoughts that would somehow make me see things in a different perspective. Walking away, I took a deep breath and fell into some sort of trance... I heard what seemed to be angels voices vibrating all its holiness as their angelic hymns echoed in the sweet melody of "Silent Night" in a cathedral. Families and loved ones kissed while friends and relatives reunite exchanging smiles, while others spoil themselves on the almost worn-off aroma of the delicious puto bumbong sold by vendors just outside the church...  Boom! Boom! Boom! as sparks of light brighten the dark skies and with its loud noise, pulled me back to reality as I choke on the fumes comin out from running cars. I helped myself to go inside a building which i realized then that I brought myself in the middle of a shopping mall. As i was trying to gather my thoughts back to reality, I couldn't help but notice an addition to my confusion were people from different directions came rushing.... I began to wonder and think how the many years of heartily celebrating Christmas can lead to such misconception.

So, again I started asking. Why is it so hard for us to simply think that Christmas is not all about material things. That its not all about giving and expect something in return. That it is not just a one day celebration of being a Christian. So I would like to share with you an answer I have found. God really do speak to us in a manner we understand if we are only eager to listen to it in our hearts. Even though I'm left with nothing this Christmas, I felt that I am still needed. That I am still loved by many. And most of all, that each of us have always been an instrument for each others trials and troubles. All we need to do is open our hearts and recognize the true meaning of salvation and Christmas will always be felt everyday.
 
As I've read from someones letter "It is not your effort that makes Christmas merry. God has already done that".

LOVE your family.
LOVE your friends.
LOVE your enemies and FORGIVE!

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!