Christmas is in the air, and you can feel it all around you. People are celebrating by putting up and decorating the Christmas trees, exchanging presents and going around wishing everyone happy holidays, good tidings and good wishes.
But somehow, and I’ll try not to dampen the good feeling of Christmas, by saying that, somewhere along the way, we’ve lost Christmas and the meaning of it, for some very odd reasons.
My devious, corrupt and warped mind is in gear, and informed me to explain myself. Why and what are/were the primary purposes and the real reasons of celebrating Christmas?
Isn’t or wasn’t it to honor the birth of Jesus Christ? Then, tell me, why do we put the trees up at or before Christmas to honor the birth of Jesus Christ, and have them torn down on Dec. 26, put the decorations away for next year, and wait just wait for the New Year to come around?
And the presents that we give and get in return, shouldn’t they be given because we want to give, and be given with love? And, truthfully and honestly speaking, were we really believing and thinking we were supposed to give to get something in return? No, and absolutely not.
But by human nature and standards, it made us feel guilty and obligated and, therefore, we must return the gesture. And why do we put a price on the gifts we give, or on the return gifts? Remember, we give because we want to, and for nothing else. If that’s the case, why even give presents? Where is the alohaness and the ‘ohananess of giving? Let me put it this way. If I gave you a $100 gift, am I to expect an equal or more-expensive gift in return? Why? Again, if I feel that way, why and what were the purposes of giving presents?
Let me put it this way. Why don’t I just keep the $100 and buy something for myself and not worry the cost of the return gifts? Wouldn’t or shouldn’t that make more sense?
I heard someone mention that someone gave a present she didn’t expect to her, and now she gotta buy her one. Another, we just can’t afford to give presents to anyone. Well, with this trying year, it is difficult. We should make it known to all that, if you cannot afford the exchanges, don’t exchange. Let the people know. It’s not a crime to admit you cannot afford the exchange.
Not everyone feels that by giving, it really doesn’t mean that they want something in return.
We put a lot of wrong emphasis on the reasons why we celebrate Christmas, and we put price tags of the gifts we give. We shouldn’t.
Let’s all enjoy Christmas and the holidays for good and better reasons.
So everyone, have the merriest of Christmases, the safest, happiest, healthiest and greatest of new years. Aloha.
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Ray Domingo is a resident of
Lihu‘e.
