Christmas evokes a Hallmark kind of sentimentality that longs for a world with no fighting, no hatred, and no condemnation, and an existence free of any form of hunger and fear. To the Christian multitudes it is truly about God’s love for humanity. He gave the most amazing gift–the promise of salvation and a heavenly kingdom devoid of hostility, hatred and viciousness. It is the birth of Jesus Christ, the messiah, who became man to save us from eternal damnation.
Green complements red. They look good together. Green conveys balance, harmony and restfulness. It soothes the emotions and heals the heart. It is most closely associated with nature, and the process of life. A green Christmas tree is a perfect backdrop for red ornaments. In whatever shade, it brings youthfulness and anticipation of good things to come. Trees grow towards heaven, and to the prayerful it is an anchor to carry their pleas to the Almighty. Trees have fed, sheltered and warmed us. Hug them lest they turn their backs on us and make us suffer, as some of our countrymen have experienced in the string of recent typhoons.
The Christmas wreath, with its continuous circle of devotion, reminds us of unconditional love given to family and friends.
A yuletide candle, on the other hand, is a potent representation of life. Use its light to write a letter to our past, like thanking people for acts of kindness, making amends with friends we have hurt, or saying, "I love you" to family members. Let it glow brightly at the dinner table as a remembrance of Christ’s birth and an appreciation for the little star of Bethlehem–the heavenly sign of promise that led the three wise men to the nativity.
The Christmas star, just like our local parol, lights the road to reconciliation. As the story goes, each one of us has an assigned star. How we harness its value defines our present and future selves.
When we are searching for guidance and redirection toward what is good, think of the Christmas bell. In biblical times it was used to find lost sheep. It rings for all of us, too, as we find the right path, regain our bearings, and win back the favor of those we have wronged.
The Christmas cane is more than the spiral red-and-white candy design commercially sold in confcctioneries. Its story dates back to the time of the shepherd’s staff. Just like the bell, the curve on the rod helps bring back sheep that have strayed away from the fold, marking that we are our brothers’ keepers.
The sound of a bell is music to the ears of prodigal sons and daughters who desire to return to the fold of righteousness. When a bell tolls, it summons us to listen to our hearts and heed the call of our inner selves.
A Christmas carol, just like the bell, calms our agitated nerves. Silent Night, O Holy Night, Adeste Fideles and other familiar tunes wake up our sleeping spirituality. They spur a clearer understanding of the real reason for the joyous festivity around the world.
Every event and every circumstance allow us a choice of outlook. Faced with difficulty in business or in life, we can choose between discontent and curiosity as our mindset. The choice is ours. Will we focus on what we see as lacking, or will we be optimistic and search for positive things that can possibly emerge? Every moment, however dangerous or distressed it may seem, can grow the seed of greater happiness, greater growth, and greater prosperity.
Review the things that don’t appear to be going our way–the delays, difficulties and disruptions that have set us back in the past months, or the stormy and mean-spirited people who blocked our way. Assess how we dealt with all these hurdles and, instead of dwelling on the off-putting elements, look for opportunities that enlarged and enriched us. The process may be rigid and at some point unimaginable, but it can be done. As creative guru Julia Cameron suggests, "Bless not only the road but the bumps on the road. They are part of the higher journey."
Count our blessings. They can lead us to the right direction to attain our dreams and aspirations. When our lives are on a safe and sheltered path, recognize it, and thank God for it. Believe that every recognition we make, accompanied by sincere thankfulness in our hearts, is a blessing. It increases our capacity to give part of ourselves and to receive good wishes and glad tidings from those whom we have touched.
Support a worthy cause. Make a donation to creditable programs such as the Philippine National Red Cross, Children’s Hour, Bantay Bata or the relief operations in typhoon-stricken areas. There are a lot of them waiting to be helped. Surely, we will feel good to do good, to give gifts that are really needed, things that aren’t store-bought.
Jan Gonder of Reader’s Digest advises, "Why not come up with the idea of giving coupons redeemable from our time and talents? The idea is to match the service with the specific needs of people and communities." On this suggestion, maybe we can consider distributing coupons to help build houses and roads, teach catechism, sports, and arts and crafts, or simply read books to kids.
Whatever our religious practice is, take time to wake up our sleeping spirituality. Say a prayer of thanksgiving in gratitude for the bounties and blessings. Let us allow ourselves to make this most wonderful day of the year truly a day of delight, miracles, reflection, divine enrichment and personal renewal.
May the true meaning of Christmas reign in our hearts!