here in the Philippines, a few hours from now will be Christmas day. Christmas day is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior, during December 25th of the year. Traditionally, during Christmas Eve, Filipino families have feast to be shared by the whole family or even with friends.
when i was a child, i always looked forward to Christmas day because that's the day when i could received a lot of presents in different forms. My most favorite gift before was miniature armies because they stirred my imagination. And the most exciting part of the day was to caught Santa hanging my present beside my Christmas sock. But each year until i got age, i never caught Santa. He must be really good when it came to giving gifts stealthily. i liked it so much when my auntie was tossing coins and I, together with my cousins, scrambled and struggle for the possession of those coins on the floor. I did not really care what my clothes would end up to. but, now that i am an adult, lot of things have change when in comes to perceiving the meaning and how to celebrate Christmas.
my father passed away when i was four. my mother rested in peace last January of this year. my younger brother is living somewhere in South Luzon. i have a duty tonight at Christmas eve here somewhere in North Luzon. so tell me, how am i going to celebrate Christmas Eve? nah... i can celebrate it in an unconventional way. perhaps one at a time in an unconventional way?
actually, i am living in an area where the neighborhoods are low-level-income families, most of them. right now, one of my kindhearted neighbor is throwing a party for children. before this day she had asked donations from different persons in the area who have some little spare of their own. it was some kind of success, sort of, at least she was able to gather enough fund to finance the foods she prepared for this party for the kids. the truth is, i did not give money for that party, because she did not asked me to, but i donated some of my old toys during the party as prizes for the parlor games. i kinda felt good even though the act was too little, but, at least, it came from my heart, i believe.
so as an adult, i believe Christmas day must be celebrated with innocent children whom you can give happiness and beauty in their Christmas. after all, i had a lot of those happiness and beauty in my Christmas when i was an innocent child, i believe, so do you. so i guess it's time to pay back in unconventional way. so never mind the feast at noche buena, never mind the gifts to be received, never mind the happy Christmas carols that could be heard and never mind the fireworks that could be seen. anyway, i'm adult who is ready to face the realities and challenges of the world. tonight, i have my duty in Christmas eve. my service is my gift to the people who might need it.
Merry Christmas :-)
