Christmas – a time of giving, a time for joy, a time for family, and a time to enjoy.
Yet, are we really enjoying? With the rise of prices, and the social pressure to show gratitude through material things, consumerism starts to blatantly rear its ugly head most especially around this time of year.
Glaring red signs that scream “SALE!” and “DISCOUNTS” all hang strategically in the paths and halls in malls and shops with high foot traffic. Though this may be a rather traditional marketing ploy, it still works. Given the social pressure to give gifts to others, we gravitate towards such signages, and find trinkets and treasures that we believe would be considered a steal.
To add to such increase in consumerism, the bonuses coincidentally arrive this month – giving us the bravado of spending for gifts and feeling like we aren’t losing any of our savings.
Word from the wise: we are. Because of this, countless of aisles in department stores and even grocery shops are teeming with people. The long lines to the cashier are longer, and the products in our shopping carts and baskets are filled to the brim.
What used to be the small, sleepy town of Dumaguete is now woken up with the insane honks and revved up sounds from vehicles stuck in traffic.
No matter the routes, our small two-lane roads are now forcibly made to accommodate four lanes due to the incessant vehicles that aim to reach their destination – all selfishly weaving through the small gaps and spaces just to get a small nudge forward.
Though we aim to enjoy the act of being in the season of Christmas – the smiles are sickeningly wiped from our faces, and replaced with frowns and grimaces – our faces are distorted, and laced with anger and frustration, sweat dripping from our foreheads and arms shaking from the amount of shopping bags and boxes we’re carrying. Surely, this is worth the sacrifice.
No amount of Christmas decors and music can achieve that Hallmark-esque aesthetic if the people contradict the scenario.
How then can we achieve the Christmas spirit? How then can we have that picture- perfect scenario of glittering makeshift decorations, and sparkling lights, and people grinning from ear to ear.
It’s simple, really, it’s not rocket science. We go back. Back to our roots. Back to the very nature of why Christmas is Christmas. So…What is Christmas? Some people would say it is the “season of giving.” But the true meaning of Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ, a celebration of the birth of our savior.
Christmas originated from the Old English term Cristes mæsse which means Christ + mass – or mass during Christ’s Day. That being said, should we not instead realize that we should not succumb to the social pressure of gift-giving?
Though, this does not disparage the act of giving gifts nor celebrating, rather this aims to make people realize that negativity through acts of positivity is still negative.
Do you want to get someone a present, yet whine and complain of the long lines? Do you take pains in choosing a gift, only to snap at the attending salesperson for being too slow? Do you want to have a feast spread in your dining table, yet honk and scream at vehicles overtaking you during heavy traffic?
Pause. Step back. Allow yourself to understand the very reason why you’re doing these things in the first place.
These things are menial, and second only to the utmost important thing this season: YOU. Be in the moment. Enjoy and allow the very nature of Christmas to engulf you. What matters more is your existence. Be there for other people, and spend time with them rather than compensating your presence with a wrapped- up present. Presence over presents.
‘Tis the season to be merry, and merry we shall be.
Maxine Flores-Bulado