The most anticipated time in the Philippines has arrived! Christmas season brings with it the chance to embrace the spirit of kindness and charitability. It’s also an opportunity to reflect about ourselves and what matters—kindness, empathy, and giving. Christmas isn’t just about giving gifts for the sake of giving; it is about spreading joy. Don’t be like Ebenezer Scrooge from Disney’s A Christmas Carol movie!
We have an opportunity this season to focus on the greater meaning of giving and see past material things. Gifts are much more meaningful when given with love and care than when they are expensive or large. Supporting a neighborhood charity, spending time with a neighbor who may be feeling lonely, or even just saying “hello” to someone in need can have a lasting impact.
We have an opportunity this season to focus on the greater meaning of giving.
This cold season is the time to think not only of ourselves but of others as well; after all, what’s the use of a freezing house when it is not warmed with the presence of friends and family? A gift doesn’t just come in wrapping paper; it also comes in the form of actions that help foster stronger, more compassionate communities. Lending a helping hand to someone in need, volunteering at a local shelter, or simply offering a warm smile and a kind word can be just as impactful, if not more so, than any physical gift. “A simple act of kindness always sparks another” is a quote from the Netflix family film Klaus — referring to the idea that acts of kindness can inspire others to be kind, creating a chain reaction of positivity.
Christmas in the Philippines is a long season that starts in September and ends in December, hence its local moniker “the Ber months”. For me, the Ber months are what I usually look forward to as things get livelier and decorations are put up more frequently. It is a fun season for me as I get to see a great diversity of decorations put up showing how people celebrate the holidays in their own way. While gifts are much appreciated, nothing beats being able to spend my time with people who I care about and who care about me.
As we celebrate Christmas, let’s make an effort to give gifts that matter–not just ones wrapped in pretty ribbons but in kindness and consideration. After all, the greatest gift we can offer is ourselves: our time, our love, and our willingness to make things better not only for ourselves but for the world as well.
“Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.” — Charles M. Schulz
