Deck your homes with Christmas cheer

Our Christmas decor is a manifestation of our Christmas spirit.  Sometimes we are caught up in the frenzy of the holiday season that we forget the true meaning of Christmas, which is welcoming the birth of the Child Jesus.

A constant reminder is the presence of the Nativity scene in the churches, in the display windows of some stores and in most Filipino homes.  Having grown up with the myth of dear old Santa as the bearer of our Christmas wish list, we give him a special place in our homes with his mighty, rotund presence.  Not to be forgotten is the traditional Christmas tree, which becomes the focal emblem of Christmas in most homes.

Added to the madness of shopping for an endless list of close friends and relatives are the Christmas parties and reunions. 

The fun part is seeing the many homes of family members and friends where the parties are held.  These private homes get my vote as having the best Christmas decor I’ve seen so far.  Some of the décor have sentimental value to the owners, which make them even more special to the viewer. For instance, an antique Oriental birdcage was decorated by the lady of the house as a tribute to her beloved parakeet who passed away.

Another friend decked her Christmas tree with the countless teddy bears that her children have collected during their childhood and have bought as souvenirs during their countless trips to Disneyland and other theme parks. A couple has Frosty the Snowman as their favorite mascot to remind them of the white Christmas they spent together in Switzerland.  A Nativity scene bought in Rome has a special place on top of the piano as a remembrance of the Christmas Mass they attended at the Vatican. 

Needless to say, some décor are there for aesthetic purposes like the pristine multi-sized white lanterns of a modern white house in a posh village in Makati. Most of them tell me that the task of disassembling these decor and packing them away for the next 10 months is heart breaking because somehow, these décor have brightened their homes and uplifted their spirits as well. So one friend told me that she does not put away her Christmas decor. She has them all year round!