This ongoing pandemic forces us to adapt to the “new normal” and forgo our Christmas traditions. Long gone are those days where crowds of people in malls during November make the most of Christmas sales by December. You'd be stuck at home without going outside or spending time with your families. Most of what we come to expect in the Christmas season is no longer there.
Attending a Christmas Cantata, going to bazaars to panic buy gifts, seeing Christmas decors on the streets, and going out for caroling were some of the traditions we could not do freely anymore with the virus roaming around. The typical Jose Marie Chan hits played in August on the radio are rarely heard, while Christmas decoration sellers are well beyond scarce even as we enter the Ber Months.
Despite the missed absences and all the situations that have occurred, we still maintain the spirit of Christmas by trying to find new ways to celebrate Christmas. Thanks to certain apps, we can message and call our loved ones, even as they live in different locations. Christmas sales haven’t been forgotten entirely, with insane deals at online shops that people can’t miss. Having fun with friends and family isn’t thrown out the window as your favorite video games, board games, and perhaps even activities are still possible within your homes.
Our Christmas traditions remain strong even amidst the many challenges. Having time to decorate and build a tree is one of them. Spending time with your family and sharing your expectations for the upcoming days, eating the usual delights during Christmas, like queso de bola or sweet ham, or sometimes spending Christmas at church to celebrate what God has blessed us for this year. The Christmas spirit is still with us, even as we celebrate with masks on our faces and stay six feet apart from each other.
In spite of our current landscape, Christmas is and will be something that we will celebrate, no matter what challenges we face. We should remember that the reason why we celebrate Christmas will always remain the same. It is to give Joy and Thanks to Jesus Christ.
Let’s all have a Merry Christmas, Royals. See you next year for our second edition!
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