12/17/10
Well, it's a week before Christmas and am feelin' the madness that this season creates. On my corner of this seasonal craziness, there's the extra societal pressure to present each other with gifts...
"Are you really worth an hour's (or more) queue at the cash register?".
I for one have sent the precious Pooh bear stuffed toy AHEAD of everyone else (to my significant other); ahead of my mom, my bro, sis-in-law, my nephews and nieces (and the ever-loyal househelp). Madness really.
In the Philippines, we have that midnight Christmas eve ritual (or excuse to gorge on rich food not regularly partaken during the year) called "Noche Buena"; a relic of our Spanish colonial era, really. The extra "nudge" (or pressure) to top the menu last year has gotten pretty silly and a tad tiresome. The ham, the salads, the pasta, sweetmeats and all, makes me wanna scream "Stop this TRAIN, I want to get OFF!"
No wonder a lot of people all over the world succumb to this pressure... A lot of deviants steal goods just to be part of the "holiday spirit" and some feel sad enough to end their own lives. Sad really... What has become an excuse to celebrate to the bountiful harvest (the ancient Romans' Saturnalia) then hijacked" by Christianity as the designated day of Jesus' birth (sorry, no such thing in the Good Book), has become a season of gloom for a growing minority...
Makes me think really, what has become of Christmas? an age-old belief system marketing gimmick?(hmmm, THINK about it). SO for this Christmas season, I am spending this time for recollection and reflection (things I have NOT done for a long, long time). Since my "excommunication", I haven't done some real reflecting or reappraisal of my life goals and aspirations; THIS holiday season might change all of that.
But BEFORE all that... I have to head over the nearest cash machine to buy me some gifts for family and friends. :P
Well, it's a week before Christmas and am feelin' the madness that this season creates. On my corner of this seasonal craziness, there's the extra societal pressure to present each other with gifts...
"Are you really worth an hour's (or more) queue at the cash register?".
I for one have sent the precious Pooh bear stuffed toy AHEAD of everyone else (to my significant other); ahead of my mom, my bro, sis-in-law, my nephews and nieces (and the ever-loyal househelp). Madness really.
In the Philippines, we have that midnight Christmas eve ritual (or excuse to gorge on rich food not regularly partaken during the year) called "Noche Buena"; a relic of our Spanish colonial era, really. The extra "nudge" (or pressure) to top the menu last year has gotten pretty silly and a tad tiresome. The ham, the salads, the pasta, sweetmeats and all, makes me wanna scream "Stop this TRAIN, I want to get OFF!"
No wonder a lot of people all over the world succumb to this pressure... A lot of deviants steal goods just to be part of the "holiday spirit" and some feel sad enough to end their own lives. Sad really... What has become an excuse to celebrate to the bountiful harvest (the ancient Romans' Saturnalia) then hijacked" by Christianity as the designated day of Jesus' birth (sorry, no such thing in the Good Book), has become a season of gloom for a growing minority...
Makes me think really, what has become of Christmas? an age-old belief system marketing gimmick?(hmmm, THINK about it). SO for this Christmas season, I am spending this time for recollection and reflection (things I have NOT done for a long, long time). Since my "excommunication", I haven't done some real reflecting or reappraisal of my life goals and aspirations; THIS holiday season might change all of that.
But BEFORE all that... I have to head over the nearest cash machine to buy me some gifts for family and friends. :P
