The reason for the season

By Hezekiah Kit Sales Canlas

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”         

You’ve guessed it! Nobody can ever forget about Christmas. Overflowing gifts, imaginary snow, candy canes, colored lights, delicious ham paired with Queso de bola, sweet manitos and manitas, noisy caroling outside the house, happy faces of children receiving gifts, the cold atmosphere, joyful friends and relatives splurging their money on shopping, and the evasive Ninongs and Ninangs. These are just some of the most common things you remember when you hear the word “Christmas”.

Aside from the things mentioned, there is an important person who plays an essential part in your annual celebration of Christmas, and don’t you tell me that you forgot about him!

Of course, he’s no other than Jesus Christ! He is the reason why we celebrate Christmas. Isn’t it obvious? Well then, let’s get to know the meaning of “Christmas”. According to www.dictionary.com, Christmas is “the annual festival of the Christian church commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.” In another definition provided by Webster Illustrated Contemporary Dictionary, Christmas is “a holiday marking the birth of Jesus Christ.”

We celebrate Christmas because we believe that on December 25, our Savior from sin and wickedness was born. Every Christmas season we spread love, give gifts and help people who are in need, just like the way Jesus Christ lived on Earth before He left His earthly life. If only every day were Christmas.

But, through the years, more and more children around the world are influenced by society into thinking that we celebrate Christmas for the annual receiving of gifts from the “plump, jolly, white-bearded man wearing a red coat with white collar and cuffs, white-cuffed trousers and black leather belt and boots.” In this person’s arsenal are his cute little elves in his factory/house somewhere in the freezing North Pole, working on the gifts he’ll give the children who have been good every year. In addition, he has nine reindeers to assist him fly his sleigh and personally put the gifts under the kids’ Christmas trees! Yes, it’s Santa Claus!
Instead of Jesus Christ, Santa Claus becomes the person of the season, which sends the wrong message to the younger generation. In most parts of the United States, Santa Claus stands as the lead character of the yuletide. Children automatically think about Santa Claus when the word Christmas is blurted out. Sadly, Santa becomes more important than Christ, who should be the one given credit for this festivity.

However, unlike other Christmases celebrated by other races in different parts of the world, the Filipinos emphasize Christmas with Jesus Christ as the bearer of the season. Christmas designs are put up on houses and establishments which depict the baby Jesus sleeping innocently on the manger in the barn, with His parents Mary and Joseph, the Three Wise Men with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and the farm animals bowing down to their King.

Even though we may have the longest celebration of Christmas (starting on the month of September until mid-January) unlike any other country, I can say we have the best. We celebrate not because of Santa Claus, but because of Jesus Christ our Savior, who is the main reason for the season.

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Total faith

Last week I was working on the requirements for a new job. It was stressful. Thank God Hezekiah Kit was there to assist me. When all was emailed, I was relieved. And yet, I needed something else to do to bust the stress. What would you know? I hit inspiration. I installed Christmas décor haha. I did so with gusto. After the task was completed, I felt so much better. Stress busted with a bonus to boot: I enjoyed the Christmas lights. Whatever shall we do without the trappings of Christmas huh!

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Yes, it is an online job. I do Editorial work for a Hong Kong-based company. It is home-based. Isn’t that cool? I’m now in BPO as Jan Ced aptly said. BPO is Business Process Outsourcing. Guess where I met Jan Ced? You will never guess. At the quaint barber shop again. Whatever shall we do without barber shops! I was there Sunday afternoon to accompany my teenager. It was time for his haircut.

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Over the weekend, we had guests at home. Teenagers. It was the regular sleepover night of the “sleepover gang” at home haha. Hey, it isn’t the mafia. The gang consists of Hezekiah’s friends way back from high school. I observed them up close and personal, and I feel happy for them. Their closeness has seen them through many highs and lows in life. They stick together and help each other. I can imagine them graduating from college and still sticking together. You know how it is with our high school friends; we never cut the umbilical cords. We stick together; stand by each other. I’m happy for these young people. They are very smart teenagers and they take their education seriously. Their only weakness apart from eating and dancing, is watching home movies haha. As a parent, I am honored that my house is a regular host of the sleepover gang.

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Last week also, my good friend, my esteemed former colleague Betty Martinez from Zamboanga City was in Gen. Santos City for business. She was billeted at East Asia Royale Hotel. I paid her a visit and we chatted forever. Well, not forever. I had to leave by midnight (not because I’m Cinderilla-like) since I still had work to do the following day. It has been over two years since we last saw each other. That long! But since we always spoke on the phone, it seemed like we just saw each other last month haha. Must be the magic of technology huh!

Anyway, I liked the look and feel of Betty’s room at East Asia Royale Hotel. I see that renovations have been done. In 2008, during a corporate training, we spent the night at the same hotel. The rooms were carpeted then. I have trouble with carpets. It triggers the asthma. Last week, I was glad when I entered the room. It was no longer carpeted and it had a totally breezy new look. Kudos Rombar Bartolome.

The room reminded me of Smallville 21 in Iloilo City: brand new with brand new furniture and fixtures. And very spacious, too. For more information about East Asia Royale Hotel, please visit their web site: http://www.eastasiaroyalehotel.com/

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Two weeks back, I was talking to someone who knew that her life could end anytime soon. I marveled at her acceptance and total surrender. She is already at peace with herself. She is at peace with her God. She went through a lot of ordeal these past several months and the experience has taught her total surrender and acceptance.

I wonder how we will deal with our own mortality when it is being challenged by a major illness. It’s not easy. It will be a great struggle. Our personal and professional training teaches us how to survive and overcome. But when a major illness visits us, what then?

I have seen how this lady has put her total faith in the Creator. It just amazes me how peaceful and pretty she looks like she is not sick at all. I offered to drive her home after our conversation. We talked some more. Hmmm life.

Lesson of the story: Let’s count our blessings. Enjoy what we have. Be grateful each single day. Continue loving and praying. Above all, keep the faith.