Publisher's Note

Publisher’s Note
by CK May is the month of flowers not just in the Philippines but also here in Calgary. A lot of my neighbors have done their spring cleaning and unfortunately I cannot cope up with them. I remember that during this time of the year my husband, Hank gets busier day by day. He takes care [...]
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Page added on December 21, 2009

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Christmas is here again!!

By Roberto J. Ugaddan

Oh how fast time flies as we are now in the month of December which means Christmas is just around the corner. Only about 10 days more if you get this issue on time as we are out on the 15th of each month. The spirit of giving and the celebration of our saviour Jesus Christ is a joyous occasion. Please let us not forget that Christmas is not about expensive gifts but it’s about spending quality time with your family and treating everybody with love and care and show them that it’s the thought that counts. At this time that we have gone thru the recession, everyone needs comfort especially the ones who lost their jobs, not to mention the contract workers who ended up going back home because they cannot find a new employer when they were terminated by the employer who hired them back home to come and try their luck here in Calgary. But going back to Manila is not a sad part of their journey, some are even happier just to go back home to be with their loved ones. Let us remember that Christmas is more than giving than receiving, and even if we do not have much to give, it’s the thought that counts. A child can make you happy with just a plain Christmas card that he did himself. Doesn’t have to be Hallmark card, coz it’s the thought that counts.

I remember as a kid growing up in the Philippines how Christmas is a huge occasion and you can hear Christmas tunes being played as early as September, very different from the way they do it here in Canada where most radio stations only start playing those songs in late November. In school, we have our Christmas party at the last day of school and we participate in the exchange gifts. I remember staying up late on Christmas eve for the “Noche Buena” and have a sumptuous dinner with family. Then we open our gifts at midnight to find our what Santa has given us for being good kids. In the morning we go with our parents to visit our godfathers and godmothers to get our “aguinaldos” from them. It’s a beautiful tradition that I remember fondly to this day.

Christmas tradition will vary from one country to another. When I arrived in Calgary in September 1997, I was wondering why there are no Christmas decors in the mall or around the area where we lived. I realized that I’m in a different country now. It’s not the same anymore. Not like in the Philippines when you can feel Christmas is coming as soon as the months starts ending in –BER. But not here, it’s still fall and there’s other holidays that will come first before Christmas, like Labour Day in September, Thanksgiving in October, Halloween trick or treat come end of October and Remembrance Day in November. So this is the main reason that not until November do we realized that Christmas is just around the corner. Another thing that is very common in North America is “Boxing Day” which we do not observe back home.

What does Boxing Day really mean?

There seems to be two theories on the origin of Boxing Day and why it is celebrated. The first is that centuries ago, on the day after Christmas, members of the merchant class would give boxes containing food and fruit, clothing, and/or money to trades people and servants. The gifts were an expression of gratitude much like when people receive bonuses, from their employer, for a job well done, today. These gifts, given in boxes, gave the holiday it’s name, “Boxing Day”.

The second thought is that Boxing Day comes from the tradition of opening the alms boxes placed in churches over the Christmas season. The contents thereof which were distributed amongst the poor, by the clergy, the day after Christmas.

Today, Boxing Day is spent with family and friends with lots of food and sharing of friendship and love. Government buildings and small businesses are closed but the malls are open and filled with people exchanging gifts or buying reduced priced Christmas gifts, cards, and decorations.

To keep the tradition of Boxing Day alive, many businesses, organizations, and families donate their time, services, and money to aid Food Banks and provide gifts for the poor, or they may choose to help an individual family that is in need. (Source: Wikipedia)

To everybody who has read my articles this entire year, may all of you have a Merry Christmas and a very prosperous New Year!!!

For comments, please email [email protected]

Christmas is here again!!

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