December 25 is not Christmas

During the Christmas Season of the past years, I have always lamented the same things about Christmas. It seems that I will repeat the same lamentations for this year’s Christmas Season.

I feel infuriated every time that the Christmas Season draws near. I feel infuriated not because I hate Christmas, which is actually is one of my favorite holidays, like the Grinch. I feel infuriated simply because the current celebration of Christmas is devoid of its true meaning. What people are actually celebrating is the un-Christmas Season.

Un-Christmas Season is the season when people claims to celebrate Christmas but are actually more focused on superficial things and not on the true Celebrant of Christmas.

The symbol of the un-Christmas Season is everywhere. Leading of all the un-Christmas Season is the old jolly big-bellied man named Santa Claus. Actually, the true Santa Claus is not that red garbed guy with a white beard. Big businesses degraded the image of Santa Claus and transformed him as an idol of everything that is materialistic in Christmas.

Yes, Santa Claus is the giver of gifts, but the gifts he gives are material things like toys, gadgets, and other things that could be bought at the department stores. Instead of promoting the true essence of gift-giving, this image of Santa Claus promotes the atmosphere to buy buy buy material things so that they could be like the generous Santa Claus for their “inaanaks” (godchildren), friends, and loved ones.

The people now tend to focus more on the gifts than the essence of giving and receiving gifts. Yes, because of materialism, people have the tendency to value gifts based on their monetary value. Thus, we hear some inaanaks who hates the gift of their ninong (godfather) and ninang (godmother) because it is not expensive and we hear of ninongs and ninang who hides from their inaanaks because they have no material gifts to offer. 

The True Christmas

Behind the veil of the materialistic brouhaha lies the true Christmas. Materialistic eyes will never see this true Christmas. The proud heart will never appreciate the humble meaning of Christmas.

Yes there is a true essence of Christmas. The true essence of Christmas lies on the manger and pours out from that tiny babe. It resides in every heart of the humble and meek. It shows itself to those who shun the materialistic demands of the world.

The three wise men recognized the Eternal King and went to Him to give him material gifts. But their gifts were outshone by the wisdom they receive from the holy infant. This is the wisdom that made them glorify the King and believe in Him.

The shepherds, amazed by the joyous celebration of the heavenly hosts, visited the baby and received the gift of happiness to their hearts for they knew that King and Savior had come to redeem His loved ones.

Oh, how great our gifts will be if we also come to Him and celebrate His coming to this world. His gift is way beyond the material things. His gift is His great outpouring of Love, of Mercy, and Eternal Life to those who humbly receive Him into their hearts.

Jesus is the true center of Christmas. He is the reason why we are celebrating Christmas.

Material things can make us happy for the briefest moment but in the end, those things will leave us empty and wanting. But accepting Christ as a gift into our hearts will fill us up with joy and peace that will last eternally.

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