“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:14

Friday, December 3, 2010

Christmas is here


What comes into your mind when you hear the word Christmas? How do you feel knowing that it’s getting near? Me, I can’t help it, but everytime I hear this word, it gives me a jolly feeling. Knowing that the holiday season is about to come, I, myself, feels so inspired. It uplifts my spirit. Can you already feel that Christmas is just around the corner?

I grew up getting used to the thought that Christmas is for new clothes, new shoes, everything new. Christmas shopping, parties here and there and lots of gifts from friends and ‘aguinaldos’ from godparents. Back then, when I was younger, I can still remember doing house to house together with my siblings and cousins asking for ‘pamasko’. We even go to houses which we barely knew the owners. We sometimes attend the ‘Misa de Gallo’ but we rarely completed it. However, we make it to a point that we are one family when we attend the mass on the day of Christmas itself. Things were as simple as that during my childhood.

My thinking towards the holiday changes as I grew older. When I entered college, I promised myself to save up money to be able to buy gifts and goodies for my family and friends during the holiday season. I said to myself, it’s time for me to give instead of receiving. I managed to save up and give gifts to them every Christmas. I don’t give expensive gifts. When I’m doing my Christmas shopping, I always make it to the point that my gift will be useful even for the whole year round to the person with whom I’m giving it to. I personally believe the saying, “it’s the thought that counts”. And I’m not from a very well off family so I cannot afford to send gifts to my friends and relatives abroad. For me sending personal messages that is genuinely from my heart just for them to know that I still remember them during this time of the year is already a very good gift.

The feeling of fulfillment is very outrageous when you give. Personally, when I give gifts, I get the ‘high’ feeling. I don’t know, but I really am very happy. I feel so light. I think that is the reason for Christmas: GIVING. In the very first place, always remember that Christmas is the time that God the Father gave Jesus to us. It was the moment that Jesus Christ was born.

I once encountered a note a couple of years ago, and yet I can still remember the idea that the note is trying to inculcate to the mind of whoever might be reading it. It was a conversation between Jesus and Santa Claus. Jesus said to Santa that He is actually sad because people are looking forward for the gifts that Santa would be bringing instead of celebrating His birthday. Right then and there, I came to realize that people nowadays tends to forget the real meaning of Christmas.

Let us not forget that Christmas is not just for new clothes, new shoes, gifts, parties, any material things, instead, Christmas is for us to celebrate the birth of Christ which also shows God’s never ending love for us. It is the time of the year to thank Father God for giving Christ to us. Let us always be reminded that it is the time that love and the spirit of giving must be abundant in all of us.

Can you feel the warm breezy feeling of Yuletide season? Isn’t it nice to feel the warm embrace of the gusty wind in lieu of the holidays? How are you going to be the evidence of God’s love to others?


Pia Yango
Metro Manila

3 comments:

  1. kuya ian.. christmas is here yung title.. not 'her'

    ReplyDelete
  2. buti na lang binasa ko ang comment mo Pia. Nagtaka din ako bakit Christmas is her. Great article from the heart.

    ReplyDelete