The celebration of Christmas here in our country had adapted a different look and a different rhythm. As early as the month of July, I already can hear some Christmas carols being played on radio stations. There are also some malls that are beginning to decorate their facade with some Christmas symbols. All of these to drum up the coming season. All of these to encourage everyone to enter the season. But as soon as December 25 Christmas Day is celebrated, the spirit immediately wanes and decorations were being removed accompanied by a big shift in the mood and spirit. So, after a very long preparation, everything comes to a stop as soon as the season begins! When it is time to savor the celebration, they pack up!
For clarification, we have the four weeks of Advent (four Sundays before December 25) allotted for the purpose of preparing ourselves spiritually for Christmas. The spiritual preparation is shown by the material and physical preparations. The mood must be of repentance and subdued. This is another matter that had been "violated". During the season of advent, instead of entering in the repentant and anticipative mode, people are more into parties, buying sprees, and festive modes. That is why the very essence of the advent and consequently, Christmas, is just partly if not hardly attained. The point of the feast is missed. Christmas is without Christ!
The Christmas season only begins on Christmas Day, December 25 and immediately followed by the Christmas octave. The eight days after Christmas are meant to sustain the spirit of the Incarnation and the liturgies and readings make us more deeply aware that Christmas, though it is a cause for celebration, is actually the Incarnation of God in Jesus in order to"personally" address the sinful situation of man who is deep in sin. It is good to note that feast of some martyrs (Dec. 26-St. Stephen, Dec. 28 - Holy Innocents, Dec. 29-St. Thomas More) are being celebrated in this octave. They remind us of the real situation the new born child will face and will experience during His ministry.
The Christmas season continues up to the Feast of the Epiphany which also considered a Christmas celebration in other Christin countries. There are even some countries that celebrate Christmas on the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord. Here in the Philippines, it is even extended up to the Feast of the Sto. Nino which, by its nature, maybe considered as a celebration of Christmas.
In the light of the above, it follows that the days after December 25 are still days of Christmas. The spirit of giving, parties, festivities should still be continued and are in fact more proper. Christmas decorations must still be maintained and savored in every home and establishment. Greetings of "Merry Christmas" should still be said. It is the time to savor and reap the fruits of the preparations we had during the advent season. That is why it is very important that we stick to the mood and mode of the seasons. Only in that way can we really enter and linger in the season at hand!
Merry Christmas!
For clarification, we have the four weeks of Advent (four Sundays before December 25) allotted for the purpose of preparing ourselves spiritually for Christmas. The spiritual preparation is shown by the material and physical preparations. The mood must be of repentance and subdued. This is another matter that had been "violated". During the season of advent, instead of entering in the repentant and anticipative mode, people are more into parties, buying sprees, and festive modes. That is why the very essence of the advent and consequently, Christmas, is just partly if not hardly attained. The point of the feast is missed. Christmas is without Christ!
The Christmas season only begins on Christmas Day, December 25 and immediately followed by the Christmas octave. The eight days after Christmas are meant to sustain the spirit of the Incarnation and the liturgies and readings make us more deeply aware that Christmas, though it is a cause for celebration, is actually the Incarnation of God in Jesus in order to"personally" address the sinful situation of man who is deep in sin. It is good to note that feast of some martyrs (Dec. 26-St. Stephen, Dec. 28 - Holy Innocents, Dec. 29-St. Thomas More) are being celebrated in this octave. They remind us of the real situation the new born child will face and will experience during His ministry.
The Christmas season continues up to the Feast of the Epiphany which also considered a Christmas celebration in other Christin countries. There are even some countries that celebrate Christmas on the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord. Here in the Philippines, it is even extended up to the Feast of the Sto. Nino which, by its nature, maybe considered as a celebration of Christmas.
In the light of the above, it follows that the days after December 25 are still days of Christmas. The spirit of giving, parties, festivities should still be continued and are in fact more proper. Christmas decorations must still be maintained and savored in every home and establishment. Greetings of "Merry Christmas" should still be said. It is the time to savor and reap the fruits of the preparations we had during the advent season. That is why it is very important that we stick to the mood and mode of the seasons. Only in that way can we really enter and linger in the season at hand!
Merry Christmas!
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