Bridging the Gap
Gift-giving at Christmas
By now, almost everybody is busy getting ready for Christmas. Shopping, decorating, singing, caroling, and baking fill the days. Party arrangements and planned family reunions need attention. All of these require time and effort and some people are overwhelmed by these preparations to make their Christmas celebrations. They feel a lot of stress at Christmastime, but much of it is self-inflicted. They become nervous about all kinds of arrangements. They want everything to be perfect and when things do not work out just right, they get very upset and sad. Sometimes, the stress even makes them ill so that instead of enjoying Christmas, they spend it on bed, or worst, in the hospital.
As stated in the previous column article, Christmas celebration in the Philippines has undergone a lot of changes since early times. During the Spanish period and the early years of the American era, the celebration focused more on church attendance and on the Angelus or the early evening prayer of the family that revolved around the "belen." Most households displayed the "belen" or the nativity scene with the Child Jesus in it, and Mary and Joseph at the background. Then, there were also star-shaped lanterns displayed mainly on the windows which were not necessarily lighted.
The coming of the Americans and the rapid inroads of modernization have brought about changes in the way Filipinos celebrate Christmas. The symbolic focus of the celebration shifted to the gaily decorated Christmas tree and the beaming Santa Claus. Lanterns have become more more varied reflecting all sorts of geometrical shapes and colors, and already lighted by electricity.
Nevertheless, there is one beautiful aspect of Christmas that has not changed – gift giving. During the Yuletide season, gifts are given, and gifts are received. The choice of gifts, however, is not an easy matter. People find it difficult to decide on what kind of gifts to buy. The choice even becomes more difficult and confusing due to the multitude of gift items being sold nowadays in the malls, department stores, and even on the sidewalks. Some people spend days before they finish their Christmas shopping, especially with the milling crowd in these places. Sweethearts may be getting a bit anxious about what they will give and what they may receive. But, while adults are spending so much time on selecting the gifts they want to give, children are thinking about what they hop to get for Christmas. They are excited, and they tell others about what they have received or what they expect to get. They are happy, and their happiness shows. Like when the shepherds found the baby Jesus lying in a manger just as the angels had said they would. They were thrilled and they immediately shared the good news about the Savior with others. Is this not what the Christmas message is all about?
Both giving and received ought to be done graciously and happily. Sometimes, some people are rather thoughtless about how they receive their gifts. They do not disguise their dissatisfaction of their amusement. Even when people are polite with their thanks, by and large, the giver knows whether they really appreciate the gift. Certainly, it is a joy to the giver when people are visibly happy with their gifts.
God's sending of His Son Jesus Christ is the greatest gift to humanity. It is high point of love and grace. Those who believe in God's Son as Savior accept the divine gift and their lives and times are influenced by this belief. Other, unfortunately, find it hard to believe. Some talk about the gift and even joyously celebrated the birth of Christ, bu they do not invite Christ into their lives by faith. They may speak adoringly of the baby in the manger, but they do not make Him will not perish but will have everlasting life. This is the very reason, and only reason, why there is the Christmas celebration and the accompanying gift-giving. Merry Christmas to one and all!