Every year, Filipinos were anticipated when Christmas was coming. We have different ways in celebrating Christmas and everyone is excited for the gifts they may receive.
Here in our barangay, when ‘Ber’ months started people cooperates to make the plaza wonderful and Christmas-like. Every tree has Christmas lights and there’s a giant Christmas tree. Most people love to spend time in the plaza because it’s beautiful and majestic.
And when ‘Simbang Gabi’ or ‘Misa de Gallo’ starts, people flock at the church trying to complete the Simbang Gabi. Legends says if you complete the Simbang Gabi all of your wishes will be granted. I don’t believe in this because I think even if you haven’t completed it, if you just wish and pray earnestly to God he will listen and he will command your wish.
And on Christmas eve, the amount of people who would go to church will be multiplied than on the Simbang Gabi. And after the mass, people would go to their own houses to wait for the Christmas countdown and at exactly 12 midnight everyone would make a noise. Fireworks displays are everywhere and everyone is celebrating. This is how Filipino celebrate the birth of our saviour, Jesus Christ.
The pandemic affects how people usually celebrate Christmas, especially here in our barangay. The plaza who used to be so bright and majestic is now so dull and gloomy. There is no giant Christmas tree and there is not even a single light on the trees. Though people still participate in Simbang Gabi but because the amount of people to be in church is limited so it is not like before.
And for once, I believe in the legend. I tried to complete the Simbang Gabi so that I can wish for this pandemic to be gone. Sadly, I couldn’t. Some school works makes me awake until dawn and exhausts me so much that I couldn’t make it to church. The final mass also started earlier than the usual, but I didn’t expect that people would still flocked in the church amidst the threat of the virus. Social distancing was even forgotten just so they can join the mass.
When we got home, I realized how different this Christmas is from the one that I was used to. Since the mass ended early, people also celebrate earlier. But there are no parties, no fireworks, and some even sleep before midnight. Then I remember what the priest told in the mass.
“You shouldn’t feel sad about how Christmas changed. Christmas didn’t change. Just our way of celebrating it. Parties, gifts and all don't define Christmas. Because Christmas was still Christmas, it is the day that the king was born. It didn’t change.”
There may be no parties and loud noises how it was before. And the excitement we usually feel when Christmas is approaching may also change but not the essence of Christmas. Celebration doesn’t define Christmas at all, but rather how thankful we are that a king was born to save us from our sins.
