Nothing can stop Christmas, so no matter how we spend it — austere or grandiose — we can focus our celebration to the birthday celebrator Jesus. Love is the essence of Christmas, and as the song goes, give love on Christmas Day! — Dr. Rico Absin, anesthesiologist
By volunteering in a soup kitchen, or at an orphanage through sharing our time and talent with the kids even just for a day. — Virginia Stack, social worker
Christmas is celebrating when Christ was born. We, too, should try to be an authentic gift to others. — Cidni Mapa, Gawad Kalinga
We probably need to see the real meaning of Christmas. It is a celebration of Christ’s birth and our salvation. The gift-giving tradition is a sign of mirth, and is often associated with children. Let’s just choose one or two gifts for our children, have simple Christmas parties, have more outreach gift-giving, and consider donating to victims of typhoon Pablo. — Atty. Myrish Cadapan-Antonio, director, Salonga Center for Law & Development
God must be in our hearts. No amount of material riches can make people really happy. According to St. Augustine, our hearts are restless until they rest in God. A true happy Christmas is really in the heart. — Fr. Gamaliel Tulabing, administrator, Diocese of Dumaguete
I used to see Christmas for all the glitter and abundance of material things. Now at 72 and on palliative treatment for cancer, I see how all these are meaningless. All we need for Christmas are prayers for peace and hope from Jesus Christ who came on Christmas bearing the gift of life to a grieving world, and a dying people. God bless us! — Atty. Kathleen Heceta, retired deputy commissioner, National Telecommunications Commission
Christmas is the season for sharing, giving, and caring. The best way for every family to celebrate it is to help the victims of recent calamities through the giving of white gifts, volunteer work, fund-raising, medical missions, tree-planting, instead of lavish Christmas parties. — Edward Du, president, Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Christmas for me means love. The happiness that my family and I enjoy when we are together is priceless — beyond what money can buy. — Genin Amiscaray, senior student, SU High School
In these times, it’s best to celebrate simply with family and loved ones, grateful that we are all together, happier, healthier, and wiser — Angelo Villanueva, tour guide, Dumaguete Outdoors
By remembering that the real meaning of Christmas is God’s presence made real in this world for us through the birth of Jesus. And that Jesus showed us that the greatest commandment is to love one another and to share what we have. Many of these others are suffering like the typhoon victims in Davao. I can share more of my material resources with them, instead of spending the bonuses on myself or my family and friends, and contributing to the fund campaign for my fellow human beings in Davao. — Lorna Pena Reyes-Makil, retired sociologist
Hug peace and share love to everyone. — Hersley Ven Casero, ace artist-photographer
Perhaps we can learn some from my eight-year-old son’s understanding of Christmas. A few years ago, Robb asked me: “If it’s the birthday of Jesus on Christmas, why are we the ones receiving gifts? We should be the ones giving gifts to him, right?” So I told him, the best gift we can give Jesus is love. — Dr. Daphne Ravello-Rana, obstetrician-gynecologist
Complete the nine-day Simbang Gabi. — Dr. Patrick Chua, orthodontist
Instill in our hearts the reason for celebrating Christmas. We are all too busy preparing for decors, gifts, and food, and have forgotten our Maker who is the reason for the season. We can thank Him above all. Offer our talents to Him (through the church’s Christmas musicale), give to the needy wearable clothes, toys, books; thank the Lord in prayer as a family on Christmas eve for the countless blessings received. — Ylang-ylang Jordan, proprietor, Earthworks Auto Parts
Christmas is always about things spiritual rather than material. The simply joy of celebrating it with family and friends, sharing my blessings with others, and making one’s self pleasing to God, is a perfect way of celebrating Christmas. — Randolph Bandiola, proprietor, Synapse Software Technologies
Go running and biking with friends, and spend time with family. — Dr. Cynthia Mercado-Cabrera, obstetrician-gynecologist
The celebration of Christmas should be more of a renewal of the joy bestowed on early Christians for God’s gift of sending His only Son for our salvation. Except for the traditional myth of Santa Claus gift-giving, we should dissociate ourselves from today’s commercialism, for us to savor the true meaning of Christmas. — Atty. Bentham dela Cruz, mayor, municipality of Amlan
By being grateful for God’s grace. — Dr. Julia Quevenco
Let us share our material blessings with victims of typhoon Pablo in Compostela Valley. — Ricky Gonzalez Jr., mayor, municipality of Valencia
In the light of the Connecticut School tragedy, the true meaning of Christmas can not be stressed enough. Love and respect for life, the value of family and friends, and gratitude for all blessings received should be foremost in everybody’s minds and hearts this Christmas. Gadgets and material things come and go. Values, family, and friendships last. — Eva “Tikay” Hagedorn-Villegas
What we plan to spend for parties and vacation trips and expensive gifts may instead be donated to the victims of typhoon Pablo in Mindanao, who are going through unspeakable suffering right now, and may not even have the chance to celebrate Christmas. This is the call of the hour for all Christians right now for a more meaningful Christmas celebration. — Rev. Noriel Capulong
Have a good healthy meal after worship with family and friends. — Dr. Elizabeth Susan Vista-Suarez, dean, SU College of Performing & Visual Arts
By going back to the simplicity of Christmas. God came down in the form of a helpless baby who grew up to become the perfect sacrifice. It was never about shopping nor about toys. — Ed Dames, managing director & CEO, Full Contact International Inc. (mixed martial arts events)
Words and gestures far outweigh material things. This Christmas, let us give our wallets a break; exercise our creativity — write a poem, hug tighter and longer, and articulate feelings and thoughts with words so special thus difficult to say on ordinary days. — Mark Raygan Garcia, director, SU Information & Publications
A simple Christmas get-together with family and loved ones is enough. — TonyRems Remollo, Dumaguete City councilor
It seems that modern society is placing the concept of God aside. Particularly, Christians are forgetting accountability to the teachings revealed by God and followed by Jesus Christ in the Holy Bible. Despite having two saints, a cardinal, several manifestations like the black Nazarene, Sto Nino, various processions to express devotion, fiestas in the name of saints, we can hardly say we are a Godly people living in God’s grace as we are incapable of organizing ourselves to deliver good government services, institute a fair distribution of wealth or a balanced economic growth, produce food and decent shelter or to provide our youth with quality education. —Alfredo Bustamante, Torrex Development Corp.
