Christmas Day is here again and as we all know this is when celebrants all over the world revel in spirit, together to celebrate the auspicious occasion. This is especially true for Christians. This is when churches of all denominations stand together to rejoice in their respective interpretation of that day.
Christmas in the tropics is always interesting. We have this vision of snow, and snow sleds and toboggan; we hear about frosted window panes and the fluffy falling snow outside and of course log-fireplaces We hear so much about winter wonderland that, as a child, I always look up the sky and wondered if the clouds will ever fall and allow me to touch it.
Growing up, we learned about our location: nopes! no snow here. All sun and rain, the occasional floods, gusts of cold wind..but no snow. (sigh) So we made do with what we saw on TV, and like Bing Crosby's song, we dream on. Later we made do with Hallmark's pictures. My first Christmas card was one that depicted a Bambi looking at a small snow-roofed cottage sited under tall snow laden pine-trees. I wonder how rubber trees look like laden with snow. Christmas is not all about snow though; its about glitters and baubles and presents too. Or so it seems. Well, we see Christmas trees all laden with decorations and underneath it, there are the gifts all wrapped and ready to be given away...
Christmas nowadays is so commercialised; so much so that during this time of the month, we will see Christmas Trees all over the city; on side walks, in offices and of course the shopping malls. They sprout out in their glittery glory and then the pipe-music begin to play: Jingle Bells, Drummer Boy, Silent Night, Santa Claus is coming to Town...which reminds me; Santa albeit brown ones seem to walk around the malls here during this time. This is especially true where some promotions for Christmas gifts are. Way to go Santa!
HEL says Christmas is all about giving and getting joy from the happiness and appreciation that lights up the recipients' faces. I totally agree. Some gifts do of course end up on a shelf or worse on the 'give-away' boxes.
Personally I believe that Christmas is a day of contemplation, delving within oneself and seeking further self-betterment: to thrive towards the side of life that cannot be bought: health and well being; forgiveness and love for others. This day symbolises the birth of a Man, whose selflessness and beliefs led towards the creation of a religion, that embraced the world and made it what it is today. His teachings live on in a book; all that are stated within, leads to goodness and the coming of the White. Not just Snow, for snow gets old and trampled and then it turns into grey cold slush. And then nothingness.
Merry Christmas.
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