Keeping Christ in Christmas

The Philippines has the world’s longest Christmas celebration. And as early as September, many Filipinos start to prepare for the coming Christmas season. Some are busy thinking of the best decorations while others are starting to save money for their godchildren and thinking of where to find the best bargains. Christmas is a celebration that truly lives in every Filipino’s heart. It is because during this season, family members who are in faraway places go home to celebrate Christmas together.

Why are we celebrating Christmas? For children, it is the time when Santa Claus comes to give them lots of gifts. For families, it is the season of spending time together after a long time of not seeing each other. For lovers, Christmas is the very romantic moment to celebrate and express love. For workers and employees, it is the luckiest month because of the 13th month pay and bonus. For students, it is their longest holiday vacation.

But do we really know the true meaning of Christmas? Sad to say, many of us don’t know that we celebrate Christmas to honor the holiness of Jesus Christ’s birth. Many are knee-deep in putting up the Christmas tree and thinking of the best places to celebrate Christmas, but few don’t know that Jesus must be the center of the celebration and nothing else.

For believers of Christ who accept him as Savior, celebrating Christmas is all about his life, death, and resurrection which saved us from our sins. Being a Christian is more about the way you live every day of your life, not just during Christmas or other religious occasions.

"Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrew 12:2

“Christmas in our Hearts”

"Whenever I see girls and boys selling lanterns on the streets...," the first line of the song "Christmas in our Hearts written by Rina Cañiza and Jose Mari Chan, is a Christmas carol that has truly captivated the hearts of the Filipinos with its lyrics reminding us of the real meaning of the season -- that Jesus is the reason for celebrating Christmas.