Happy December One to everyone.
December is the shortest month of the year. I count it as having a two-week productive days only. AFter the 15th, people are extremely busy with so many things. Attending and/or hosting Christmas parties here and there, gifts shopping, gifts wrapping and bargain hunting, traveling here and abroad, hanging out with lovers and friends, etc. Simply put, after the 15th or even earlier, people are no longer in a working mood but in a festive mood. This is both good and bad.
Bad for offices and businesses that have deadlines and year-end goals to meet. Good for most shops and retailers.
The month of January also loses some of its productivity days due to the hang-over of the New Year celebration. Many are not yet back from vacation. Many are still feeling tamad to go back to work. By the time we are able to pick-up the pace, 2 weeks have passed and its already mid-January.
Life here in Manila is like that. It has become part of our exaggerated Ber months culture. About 20 years ago, the media’s countdown only began on December 1, then 60 days, then 100 days na. I won’t be surprised if next time they would start the countdown on September 1.
The countdown actually annoys me. It stresses me out. October pa lang, “Oh my God, pasko na pala, naku, I have to do this and that, buy this and that….”. That’s undeserved, undue pressure to me and the populace as a whole. Instead of giving happiness to their viewers, the media may be instigating crime and envy without any intention on their part. Because our Christmas celebrations are attached to commercialism, viewers who don’t have money would feel deprived, envious, and the desire to want and have material goods and money become more intense. If they can’t find the means, they become depressed, they wallow in self-pity. In some instances they could resort to snatching, holdups, robbery, etc.
I also hope that the local governments stop hanging Christmas lanters as early as in October. Mayor, meron pa pong bagyong darating, sobrang aga. By the time December 1 comes, laglag na, pundi, sira na yung decors. Sayang ang pera ng taong bayan.
I love Christmas, but I hope we stop making it more like a commercial fiesta. Let’s celebrate it with festivities but with less focus on material things but rather on kindness and togetherness.
Since we are fond of countdowns, Let’s start a countdown to Holy Week on January 1. Holy Week is a lot better, no need to buy expensive Christmas lights and decors, no need to give gifts, no need to buy a new dress and pair of tsinelas, no need to serve sugpo, alimango and lechon. It doesn’t need much money to observe it. It also brings family togetherness. Happy Easter everyone!
