I remember a time when bells would jingle in my head come December.
I remember a time when I would brave the weekend rush and spend hours after hours roaming the mall hunting for presents (for someone who can go for months without visiting a mall).
I remember a time when Christmas meant something.
Not anymore.
Over the years, the joy of Christmas has dwindled into a modicum of indifference.
Right now, Christmas feels more like a chore to get over with, rather than an occasion to celebrate.
The Chore of Christmas
Don't take it personally, Lord Jesus. It's not just Christmas. I feel the same way for all cultural festivals - Chinese New Year, Deepavali, etc.
Wear new clothes, stock up on food, put up some decorations in office, attend some dreary party-organizing committee, brave the homecoming traffic...
Who's getting the turkey this year? Whose house should we visit first?
How boring. How tedious. How stressful.
It's always the same old routine. I hate routines. Routines remind me of religion. And I opt out of religion a long, long time ago.
Christmas reminds me of the time I had to attend Church every weekend (mass on Saturday, Catechism on Sunday). It's bad enough I have to attend school for five days a week. I don't even get a day off. What's up with that?
What's Christmas To Me?
Christmas Day can be a pain. I have no choice but to celebrate it on 25 December every year, no exception.
But I still love Christmas - the spirit, and what it stands for.
For me, Christmas is about sacrifice, hope and love.
Sounds as cheesy as The Last Jedi (now, don't get me started on how it spoilt my Christmas even more than The Force Awakens), but it's true.
All year round, I sacrifice, I hope, I love.
I don't need to do all that only when bells start jingling.
I don't need a day in the year to remind me not to be naughty, but nice.
I don't need a reason to celebrate life.
Life Without Christmas
I already celebrate life as it comes, every moment of every day.
The whole month of December has been awesome. And it's awesome precisely because I'm not even thinking about Christmas.
It's hard to enjoy your day when you're constantly counting down to a specific day in the distant future - Christmas, birthday, Valentine, whatever.
All I ever look forward to is today. Not the end of the month, not the weekend, not even tomorrow,but today.
And if you can feel good about today, and every other day - believe me, you won't need to wait till Christmas to feel good about your life.
Sure, Christmas is fun, no doubt about that. But over the years, what I've come to realise is this: Every day of my life is just as fun, if not more. And it's only by putting aside my feelings for major celebrations that made me appreciate my daily life even more.
Forget about Christmas. Do good, and feel good, no matter the time of the year. There's no day but today.
Live the moment.
I remember a time when I would brave the weekend rush and spend hours after hours roaming the mall hunting for presents (for someone who can go for months without visiting a mall).
I remember a time when Christmas meant something.
Not anymore.
Over the years, the joy of Christmas has dwindled into a modicum of indifference.
Right now, Christmas feels more like a chore to get over with, rather than an occasion to celebrate.
 |
| What a fugly tree |
The Chore of Christmas
Don't take it personally, Lord Jesus. It's not just Christmas. I feel the same way for all cultural festivals - Chinese New Year, Deepavali, etc.
Wear new clothes, stock up on food, put up some decorations in office, attend some dreary party-organizing committee, brave the homecoming traffic...
Who's getting the turkey this year? Whose house should we visit first?
How boring. How tedious. How stressful.
It's always the same old routine. I hate routines. Routines remind me of religion. And I opt out of religion a long, long time ago.
Christmas reminds me of the time I had to attend Church every weekend (mass on Saturday, Catechism on Sunday). It's bad enough I have to attend school for five days a week. I don't even get a day off. What's up with that?
What's Christmas To Me?
Christmas Day can be a pain. I have no choice but to celebrate it on 25 December every year, no exception.
But I still love Christmas - the spirit, and what it stands for.
For me, Christmas is about sacrifice, hope and love.
Sounds as cheesy as The Last Jedi (now, don't get me started on how it spoilt my Christmas even more than The Force Awakens), but it's true.
All year round, I sacrifice, I hope, I love.
I don't need to do all that only when bells start jingling.
I don't need a day in the year to remind me not to be naughty, but nice.
I don't need a reason to celebrate life.
 |
| All I want for Christmas... is for Star Wars to reboot |
Life Without Christmas
I already celebrate life as it comes, every moment of every day.
The whole month of December has been awesome. And it's awesome precisely because I'm not even thinking about Christmas.
It's hard to enjoy your day when you're constantly counting down to a specific day in the distant future - Christmas, birthday, Valentine, whatever.
All I ever look forward to is today. Not the end of the month, not the weekend, not even tomorrow,but today.
And if you can feel good about today, and every other day - believe me, you won't need to wait till Christmas to feel good about your life.
Sure, Christmas is fun, no doubt about that. But over the years, what I've come to realise is this: Every day of my life is just as fun, if not more. And it's only by putting aside my feelings for major celebrations that made me appreciate my daily life even more.
Forget about Christmas. Do good, and feel good, no matter the time of the year. There's no day but today.
Live the moment.
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