A Christmas Special: Understanding the happiness of Christmas

I can already see the people busy preparing gifts to be given. I can already hear the carols of children. I can already taste the delicious food for the occasion. I can already feel the excitement of people and smell the scent of the Yuletide season. This is the season for sharing your blessings, for spending time with your family and for being happy.

But is Christmas always happy? Does it always mean spending time with your family? What if your family is not here anymore?

Even up to now I have always waited for Christmas to arrive. Christmas is my favorite season because I expect everybody to be happy. However, this notion of mine changed when an incident happened in our family.

Last December 16, 1999 my uncle went on to join the Almighty Father. My family in Iligan came to Cebu to attend his funeral. Although we were supposed to go home after the funeral, all the ships were full. We had no choice but to celebrate Christmas here.

On the eve of Christmas, we could hear the laughter of people outside, the explosion of firecrackers. Everyone was enjoying except us who only slept. We woke up at midnight, greeted each other, ate some food and went back to sleep. At a young age, I understood the words "emptiness" and sadness." Then I realized that Christmas is not always happy. That was my first Christmas away from home.

As time passed, I came to enjoy every Christmas that we celebrated. With Christmas again just around the corner, I was again very excited. But on the dawn of November 27 this year, my uncle in Bohol drew his last breath.

The excitement, the eagerness and the happiness became deflated. How can I celebrate Christmas when I know that my family is mourning? When I know that my uncle's family is grieving? How can Christmas still be happy as what I expected it to be?

Somehow, in the middle of this mourning, God enlightened me. The death of my uncle may be melancholy but there is still reason for my family and me to be happy this Christmas. For I believe that my uncle wants us to be happy just like him, who has now eternal happiness and will forever celebrate Christmas with the Lord. I believe that God has a purpose in letting this happen. I may not understand His purpose at this time but I know that I will eventually discern His will.