The global celebration of Christmas was probably due to the influence of Western movies and dramas which made Christmas such a merry and glamourous festival and thus, the younger generation these days just took after the celebrated notion of Christmas as a festivity.
In the midst of all the festive atmosphere of shopping for presents and parties, it makes me wonder whether the true meaning of Christmas is still truly remembered.
Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, and who was destined to be the Saviour of mankind.
His birth brings New Hope, light and goodness to all mankind.
To me, that is what the fundamental of Christmas is all about.
Christmas is not merely a festive season, but truly, a religious celebration of the birth of Our Saviour and Our Lord.
That is why Christians all over the world sing "Joy to the World" at the strike of midnight, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is a celebration of the triumph of good, and most importantly, it is a significance of God's true love for all of us, His children.
Christmas is not about exchanging presents, nor setting up of the Christmas tree or attending a number of parties, nor is it about dressing to the nines and displaying your best plates for a good meal with roasted turkey and wine, but truly, it is all about the celebration of welcoming Our Saviour with an open heart.
Today, Christmas is not being understood for its true meaning but celebrated just merely because of the glamour and the need to imitate the Western culture.
It is funny how they always criticize the Western influence and yet adopt most of the practices in the culture.
Everyone celebrates Christmas these days, because it is fun and it is a great way to enjoy the public holiday.
I am glad that it was such a welcomed festival although I do hope people truly understand what they are celebrating about.
When you celebrate Christmas, you are believing in Jesus Christ as the Saviour, you are believing in the goodness of His Birth and the reason He came to the world.
Yes, Christmas is not merely a festive occasion filled with fun and glamour, it is truly a religious festival and it reminds us of the great things that the Lord had done for us.
For me, this is what Christmas has always been about, no distortion about that.
I love the spirit and the cheer of the beautiful and miraculous Christmas season; and most of all, I love the midnight masses.
I look forward to going to mass for Christmas, to celebrate and to welcome the Lord's birth.
I look forward to going home to my family, and spending quality time with them.
Christmas is all about hope and LOVE, and that's why it is so important to be with our loved ones.
We are to be reminded of the love and the faith that surrounded us, and to cherish every moment of our life.
I love Christmas because of the true meaning, because it the birth of our dearest Lord =)
Every year, come end of September and December, I would be looking forward to the coming of Christmas.
Preparing for Christmas means to reflect and to repent on our past misdoings and sins, and to prepare for Confession as well.
We are to do good during this time, before Christmas.
I also spend time buying gifts for my loved ones, as a token of appreciation for their love which is really important to me. The value of the gift is not in terms of the price of the item but rather the significance it brings to the recipient.
I make sure I have a nice and new attire for Church, as this is a grand celebration and it is a banquet of the Lord which we are invited to.
Think of it as a formal birthday party we are invited to.
This year, we finally have a Christmas tree set up in our new home and my brother had truly spent a lot of effort (and money) on ensuring that this is one of the best Christmas tree for the home.
I was really touched to see the Christmas tree being set up (I will be sharing the meaning of a Christmas tree in my other blog: Starry Starry Blog)
The shiny tinsels were just so colorful and it added so much life to the tree.
The presents are just so symbolic of our love and care for each other too.
Of course, the Christmas tree was just part of the preparations to welcome the Lord's birthday at home. It is just like decorating our home for the Lord's presence, and to truly welcome him into a place fit for a King like Him.
Midnight mass is another most looked forward to in my itinerary; in fact, it is the MOST important as we participate in the celebration of the Lord's birthday.
This year is different from the previous years as we celebrate in a new church; instead of the church we grew up in but it was all the same to us, we are not the main focus, but rather the Lord himself.
The Church of the Holy Family was also meaningful in its name as it is a true symbol of what a family is to be modeled after the Holy family.
The Church was elaborately decorated as well and it was just so beautiful amidst the lights lit inside and outside the church.
After all, Christmas is about LIGHT which brings hope to mankind.
We are always reminded of our baptismal promises in church, as we put the holy water on our forehead as we make the sign of the cross
Mother Mary is also the reason we have the Lord, and we honour her as Our Lady and Our Holy Mother who will always be there to help us in our prayers.
After our celebration at the church, we would usually reach home after 1am, and despite me being an early sleeper, this is one of the rare times in a year when I would stay up to chat with the family and toast to the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is like a family tradition, for a small family gathering where we would laugh and eat and drink (not to our heart's content at that hour), and enjoy each other's company.
I LOVE Christmas, I really do, not for the festivities alone but for the presence of the Lord in our lives and how He is always there for us.
I am glad that I love Christmas for its meaning and not for the glamour and fun of the celebrations.
What is there not to love about Christmas as we celebrate the love of God and the presence of Jesus Christ among all mankind?
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