Dampening the Christmas spirit

Last Christmas, we've found ourselves in a jovial mode. We practically enjoyed everything that we did. Even though we emptied our pockets not for ourselves but for gifts to other people, we didn't mind.

We were so generous and the feeling was so contagious that all of us even those who had just few, spent their hard-earned money to buy for others. It was the perfect time for presents, surprises and party galore.

That was us during Christmas, we were so hyped, so energetic... so generous. However after the season fades, so is our glorious selves. And the color, and the majesty of it all slowly transformed back to the usual setting we used to have. It's our own usual ways, it's our former selves... it was us.

So the glory days of Christmas will be missed, until the season cycles back and we'll revert back to jovial, generous mode. Sadly, that's not our norm.

Christmas comes, Christmas goes

I guess everyone still has a hangover from the holidays including me. Nobody wants to let go of that long-sought vacation. I'm practically dragging myself to wake up in the early morning and be ready for work. Everyone misses the holidays, the merry-making, the grandiose celebrations, and did I mention the very long vacation?

When I enter the malls, I can still hear the music of Christmas carols, I can still see those Christmas decors, the Christmas trees and all. And I just realized that Christmas has still not officially ended as far as the Philippines is concerned. The event officially ends after the feast of the Three Kings which is usually January 6. That's why the spirit of the season still lingers even though we are now again inside our enclosed cubicles, trapped in our classrooms and again brave the horrendous traffic of the city.

I had fun. Whisking away office works from my system for quite a number of days was a relief. I felt in such a way rejuvenated just to prepare myself for another round of battle.

Well, Christmas comes, Christmas goes, as my blog says - life's like that. But I hope the spirit of the season - the season of giving and the season of forgiving will also linger in us even when Christmas is over.

Christmas in our Hearts

Christmas season is in the air. The weather is colder. Daylight is shorter. Carols are everywhere to be heard. And people has been thronging to malls causing the usual December traffic. In the Philippines, Christmas comes in very early. As early as September in fact. We call it the "ber months". As soon as September hits the calendar, Christmas carols can be heard from radio stations. And early bird customers go promptly to markets to avoid the bargain fever come November. This could last up to the early weeks of January the following year where the season ends with the celebration of the Three Kings. That's how we Filipinos love the season so dearly. And this is what our fellow Filipinos abroad miss. True, we will never experience the spectacle of a white Christmas but we surely don't want it to be blue either.

Our own celebration is so joyous that you can feel the warmth and spirit of true Christmas. The spirit is not only within our own homes and families but to total strangers. The beauty of it is that, we only not spend it with our families but also with our friends, officemates, godchildren and oftentimes the less fortunates, the sick and inmates. We do exchange gifts, kris kringles, visit the orphanages, hospitals and prisons and hand donations and gifts instead of spending it on lavish Christmas parties. It's a time of great spending. But most of the time it's not for ourselves but for others we care about. That has been part of our traditions ever since.

My former officemates, together with my wife and I are planning this simple event of sponsoring a Christmas party for street kids this season - a group of simple rank and file employees. If this pushes through, it would be a most heart felt celebration not only for us but for the kids.