Forgetting sales, forgoing Christmas

There’s no denying that in a month or so we will be celebrating Christmas. The yuletide season used to be full of cheer: Presents, a banquet, games, and everything a happy family would traditionally do on this day. However, this year might be a bit different. With the pandemic around the corner, there is no way that it could ever be the same again.

The malls are full of the holiday spirit. There are decorations everywhere and the red tags that spell sale. It is so easy to be tempted to buy things that you don’t need because they are cheap at the moment. We have to also understand that the cheap prices come with the desperation to sell because of no income earned due to the pandemic. You have to ask yourself, do you really need it? Or not at all.

But sales will get you nowhere. Only a sense of fulfillment once an item is bought, after which it goes away. Now when the country needs more than ever all the funds to help those who have nothing for Christmas after the typhoons passed. Others even are opting to forgo Christmas. There will be no Christmas parties because of the restrictions set by the national government and the money supposedly for this festivity will be given to charity. Isn’t it still Christmas as it is?

Over the weekend, I have learned that Christmas isn’t about what we used to imagine it to be but a spirit of being selfless and of giving. There was so much that was lost in this year, and it cannot be taken back. All we can do is move forward instead and see the light at the end of it all. While right now we are busy preparing for the festivities, we can rethink what our Christmas budget will be spent on.

It’s not even as issue that there is no 13th month pay this year. Although we can use a bit of extra money, it’s better to save up than splurge. We all know that by now how the pandemic has changed our spending habits should also influence how we would be financially in the future. We don’t need to buy what isn’t necessary.

In the middle of the already-busy streets, Christmas carols and shopping we should remember the essence of this all - that it was about how we were saved by a messiah. Everybody may not agree and even not believe in this but it doesn’t hurt to pray once in a while.