DESPITE it was (1941-1945) we had Misa de Gallo, caroling, Belen, parol, Noche Buena, Christmas tree and gift-giving. This year, 2020, will be the first time the world will not experience school and office parties and less Christmas decors.
The 1928-32 global depression was bad, with 18 out of 20 persons worldwide were jobless. Very few had money but we still had Misa de Gallo and subdued Christmas celebrations. In some places, parents told their children there will be no gift because of Pere Noel/Father Christmas?
Santa Claus died. The 2020 Christmas religious activities will be scaled down but the worldly, commercial aspects will still be alive. With this background, it is time to analyze the meaning of Christmas.
Originally of two separate words, Christ (referring to Jesus Christ) was fused with moesse (mass-the Christ’s season) and became Christmas. It means the celebration of the birth of Christ.
Later the Christmas birthday celebration was expanded when the church began the countdown with the first day of Novena, which is the nine days of prayers, preparations on Dec. 16 with the climax on Christmas ever through the midnight mass on Dec. 24.
Technically, church Christmas songs (not commercial songs) like Hark! The Angels, Joy to the World, and Silent Night are sung only in masses on Christmas day. This begins at midnight mass until the fiesta of the Holy Family, which is usually in the first week of January.
Consumerism, commercialism, worldly (not spiritual) enticements slowly crept in without the people’s notice. The Christmas songs beginning September, Christmas decors, heavy advertisements about Christmas sales, by October are the signs that the worldly spirit has finally become a part of the celebration of the birth of Christ.
There is no conflict between the world and the spiritual celebration of the birthday of Jesus Christ. They differ only in the approach and preparation but the focus of merrymaking and gift-giving is the same. The world rejoices because God the Son is born to save us.
