It used to be that Christmas was a festivity that is celebrated only by Christians. For good reason because the root word of Christmas comes from Christ or Christian.
According to tradition, Christmas is celebrated in order to auger the birth of Jesus Christ who, in the Christian faith, is the Messiah, the Savior of humanity and the Redeemer of sins. Christmas, therefore, is a religious event that goes into the very core of the faith of Christians.
Through the years, though, Christmas evolved. It became intertwined with other traditions and beliefs that it is no longer strictly a religious celebration. This, by itself, is a corruption of the values that can only find its purpose in the real meaning of Christmas. Notwithstanding, that not all people are Christians, Christmas is celebrated around the world. Yes, there is Christmas even in countries where they do not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ. Why is this so?
It is because Christmas was exploited by some enterprising individuals to make a quick buck. They have commercialized the festivity to earn a profit and fatten their pocket. And because this world has become so materialized, Christmas is now a mercantile endeavor, tempting all to celebrate it as a fiesta, regardless of religious beliefs and inclinations. Christmas, then, had become a commercial undertaking where its celebration is more sectoral than religious. It is the pagan way of celebrating the event. It lost its meaning and Christ, who is supposed to be center of the holiday, takes a backseat in lieu of the gifts, parties and gatherings. It is the norm and it might be hard to break. The pagan way of celebrating.
In a sense, the way people celebrate Christmas is insulting to Christians who are supposed to propagate the Christian faith rather than immerse in its paganistic rites and rituals. Yet, nothing can be done. Christmas is no longer about Christ. It is about the holiday, the vacation, the gifts, the parties, the gatherings and the eating sprees that satisfy the body but not the soul.
Still, there remain among us true Christians who yearn to celebrate Christmas the way it should be. Albeit they are few, they still find the reason to foster what Jesus Christ came here for – to give rather than to receive, to love rather than to be loved, to serve rather than to be served. And this idea cannot be removed from us as long as we believe that Christmas is truly in our hearts. Merry Christmas to all.
