Christ in Christmas?

I’m always of two minds when it comes to Christmas.

I’ve always believed that I should act according to what I know, and I know that Jesus was not born on December 25 nor even in December.

Biblical scholars have been saying for centuries that Jesus was born sometime in September and not in December. I know it, too, just from looking at the behavior of shepherds around the world. Shepherds do not stay out all night in December (except in New Zealand, since December is summer there). Not only will the shepherds catch cold, but the sheep do not graze during winter.

I also know that there is very little in the Filipino version of the nativity story that is true.

The Bible itself does not say that Jesus was born in a stable, but merely in a manger. There were no stables in Bethlehem at that time. A manger (phatne) in the original Greek text of the Bible was a kind of ledge or table, where food for animals was placed. If you go to a modern restroom, the manger would be like the folding table where you can change the diapers of a baby. There is nothing particularly significant about being born in a manger in Bethlehem, because that is most likely where many babies were conveniently placed after birth.

Jesus was born in a house, not in a place where animals were kept. The Greek text of the Bible uses the word kataluma, which is defined as “a furnished, large, upper story room within a private house” (christiananswers.net). Mary and Joseph were taken in by their relatives, but the main guest room (kataluma) was already occupied. They were then placed in another room in the house, not in a barn (there were no barns then). Jesus was born in a house like every other baby.

There is no mention in the Bible of three kings from the Orient. First of all, Jesus was already born in the Orient, or more precisely, the Middle East. What is mentioned are magi or wise men, who could have been the elders of the town. Even if they had come from out of town, they did not get to see Jesus until his presentation at the Temple. (Read the Bible!) In fact, when the magi came to pay him a courtesy call, Herod figured out that Jesus was most likely almost two years old by then; otherwise, he would have ordered only newborn babies killed and not all little children.

The problem is that we keep thinking of Jesus as different from us. That is actually a heresy. Jesus was a human being just as we are human beings, doing exactly the same things we do, except that he did not sin like we all do. To Catholics, of course, Jesus was also divine, being the second person in the Trinity. But he was fully human as he was fully divine. That is a mystery to unbelievers, but clear as day to believers.

On Christmas Day, then, we do not celebrate the birthday of Jesus. More properly, Christmas Day would be the feastday of Jesus, the day when we agree to commemorate the coming of the Savior.

That is why I feel a bit awkward celebrating the birthday of Jesus when I know it is not His birthday.

On the other hand, I’ve always believed that I should act according to what I feel, and I love Christmas season in the Philippines.

I enjoy spending time looking for things (some purchased, some recycled, some handmade) to give to my friends as Christmas gifts. I love wrapping gifts. I love seeing their smiles as they thank me for the gifts, no matter how inexpensive or insignificant or even unwanted. (Needless to say, I enjoy opening gifts!)

I enjoy Christmas parties, where otherwise grim and determined adults seem to be so happy eating, laughing, singing, and making perfect fools of themselves as they play childish games.

As STAR columnist Alejandro Roces puts it, Christmas is our nation’s foremost fiesta, when all Filipinos, no matter where they are on the globe, stop thinking about how terrible life is and celebrate how good life is.

I was in Iran once for the whole month of December, and Christmas went totally unnoticed by anyone, not even by stores catering to expatriates. I am told that the same lack of excitement about the season occurs in other non-Christian countries. I am sure, however, that in every home where there is a Filipino, some kind of celebration occurs and gifts are given. You cannot take Christmas out of any Filipino.

We have the longest Christmas season in the world. Starting last August, some stores were already playing Christmas carols. Some homeowners do not bother to take down their Christmas trees and Christmas lights until sometime in February or even March. Some radio announcers even say, on December 26, that there are only 364 days until the next Christmas.

Maybe Jesus had the answer all along. He said that whatever we do to each other, we do to Him. When we give gifts to people we love and to poor people we don’t even know, we give gifts to Him.

Happy fiesta, everyone!