STOP, LOOK & LISTEN THIS CHRISTMAS

I guess I don't have much to say this issue; others have something to quote you in behalf of my placidity. Nonetheless, just few speckles of my inner thoughts this Christmas season will do for me, I guess.

Foremost, I tagged this cover write-up as STOP, LOOK and LISTEN THIS CHRISTMAS as though an orange color in a traffic light, saying slow down congestion ahead! But here, there’s no congestion ahead halting you down, rather we might be missing a lot of things this Christmas. Real surprises and happiness are not ahead, but are along the way. So get loose off your gas down and paddle your canoe slowly.

Life is short and time is fleeting – together with them are precious events in our lives we might have missed.

Stop, look and listen. It rings a bell. I suspect you’re trying to recap how your little limbs limber to the tune of this nursery rhyme at preschool. “Peep, peep the small jeep is running down the street…” something that goes like that. This is the tune we might have grown up with, but it has something more to tell us this season.

Now, how does this makes sense and jingles with my Christmas afterthoughts?

Why STOP?

Obviously, life now is fast paced! You might not actually notice a thing if you’re in the middle of the road, unless you notice your feet pressing hard against your gas pedal. This is much evident in highly advanced countries, such as Japan where every 3 months most people changes their cell phone units with more sophisticated ones. Well, that’s grossly 3 years here in the Philippines before a unit gets loose.

I’ve been steering the wheel of this advertising magazine for more than a year now and it has been a hell of a ride catching up with all its materials (advertising revenues, editorials, schedules, events, productions etc…) for a release and to serve the needs of our beloved advertisers. At large, I was thinking and doing the necessary just to get ahead of things and the demands of my job, perhaps to impress, show that I’m doing my job or just sizing up myself with it. Then at the end of the day I went home, shrug my shoulders, slumber, shake myself off the bed and realized I’m getting ahead of myself and sanity. It doesn’t pay that much – at least that’s what my paycheck hints me.

Slow down. There is more to life rather than just getting too serious with life or your job – else you won’t get out alive and a balding head to deal with.

LOOK. It would be hard to notice something worth noticing along the road if you’re running fast. So, again you really have to slow down. There is more in this world than just meets your work or whatever that gives you more excuses. It is your family, loved ones and yourself that you have to look straight with love this Christmas. More than anything else, it is your presence among them that matters most.

Believe me, material compensation in behalf of your presence doesn’t get even with your absence. Christmas is getting colder as it gets near and it would even be ‘freezing cold’ without you. Somebody out there in the cold might badly in need of your warm embrace.

One of the most disregarded elements of human communication is listening. Just like the air we breathe, listening is the lifeblood of human communications. So why LISTEN. You won’t STOP and you won’t LOOK if you’re not interested to LISTEN. This Christmas it’s not about how loud your voice in heralding your Christmas greetings or how loud your fireworks popping out of you backyard, but it is how much you mean yourself to them with both ears willing to listen.

There are lots of stories to tell this Christmas. Try listening to what your love ones have to say and you’ll just know that listening is more pleasurable than opening your mouth most of the time. Know that when you listen, not just hear but assimilating every words, you actually connects to the deepest realm of a man’s value and vulnerability. Know that when you listen there would be the intertwining of one soul in two bodies. At best, you might as well understand yourself by just listening to them – that is the power of it – and the greatest gift this Christmas.

Further ahead, I would like to thank Georges Carlin, a celebrated writer, for this worth noting brainchild.

“The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, (or just never mind).

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”

☺☺☺

REASON FOR THE SEASON? Santa Clause Vis-A-Vis Jesus Christ

“Reason for the Season” might just rhyme words that don’t make sense if you're materialistically o'er head for Christmas. Much more if you don't have a single penny to dodge just a simple omelet for the eve of the celebration. You might as well raise your head up the starry night and wonder who would you whisper to – a jolly old man with his sledge led by red nosed reindeers or the Big Guy above who once shivered at the cold of the night when he assumed a human body? It would be easy to think that Christmas is a joyful celebration and tempting to associate it with the stereotyping image of a Santa Clause.

From a distance, there are two Iconic Figures we see come Christmas season – Jesus Christ, particularly as a Child in a manger, then Santa Clause, the big fat fellow in a ho ho ho sleigh. Closer, we notice that the first seems always “behind the canvass,” and the latter is always on the “limelight.” You see, Santa Clause is ornamented everywhere, is seen everywhere and could be gotten everywhere, well, as a toy stuff. Some said Santa Clause is in malls, streets and chimney walls, while Christ Jesus is in our hearts. That's the loose compensation and statement of things at the verge of forgetfulness, while faith, like love must be redeemed by actions. We don't mean to say no to Santa here, just the right thing on the right place – give to Caesar what is due to Caesar – we give the real thing to the real reason for the season.

Most just don't want Santa to “gatecrash” on the celebration of the season and gets all the folks in town. A real Santa wouldn't like that thought even. Since he knows that he's just a messenger of kindness, generosity and jolly soul to everyone, especially to children. He knows he doesn't own the piece of cake and the piece of blow every Christmas. He himself knows who’s the Reason for the Season.


WHO IS SANTA CLAUSE?

Fairy tales after fairy tales accumulates every Christmas books and stories we read. Nonetheless, here are few thoughts about Santa Clause:

Would you wonder if there is really a Santa Clause? The answer is – yes! Well, I mean not really that fat bellied fellow on his mighty gifts-stuffed chariots and reindeer, he's quite far from what I mean.

The practical “Santa Clause” is said to be Saint Nicholas of Patrara, Turkey. He was a priest who became a bishop of Myra after the bishop of the district died. Though he was orphaned at a very young age, his Christian orientation has greatly contributed to his charitable acts. He is honored by children as well as parents all over the world because of his exceptional generosity. He is in fact born of wealthy parents, but he doesn't mind spending his wealth for the orphans, widows and poor families. His acts credited him, especially to the Western countries the title “Santa Clause.” Saint Nicholas is also the great Patron Saint of children and gift givers.

The Santa Clause we've mentioned earlier is not a white-bearded in a red furry coat old man and doesn't even count pounds and pounds of weight. He doesn't even own a reindeer, though he might afford one. So, is there a Santa Clause? Yes, he made it a few lines above.

On the other hand, the other Santa Clause or Santa Clauses, as there might be few not mentioned, are details of mythology and childish narratives such as the one, I presume, hanging on your doors. Yeah, he can fly miles and miles from the thick snows of the North Pole all the way to the streets, to your doors and to your chimney holes.


JESUS VIS-A-VIS SANTA CLAUSE

Meanwhile here are few thoughts that would reconcile Child Jesus and Santa Clause (fictional) on their right place:

• Jesus is a factual character noted by redoubtable individuals in history themselves. While Santa Clause is a fictional character for something else.

• Jesus performs miracles and claims to be divine with authority. Many witnesses attested to this since Jesus lived with us 2000 years ago and the words transmitted to us by meticulous textual adaptation, while the fictional Santa is still in the North Pole buckling up for another Christmas.

• Gospel writers intend to relay the physical reality of Jesus Christ such as His nativity all throughout his crucifixion. Santa on the other hand has been made to cater the wandering imaginations of kids.

• Jesus' existence has verifiable names, places, events and cultural as well as political dimensions. Santa Clause squeezes on non-factual elements such as flying reindeers and his visitation to every house.

Parents have to be reminded that they have to remind as well their children that Santa Clause is just a fictional figure that flies only on silver screen and in their dreams. He is pretty much like the tooth fairy that comes in trade for a kid's tooth that fell. Though Santa's character is worth emulating, as in the act of being generous and kind, this has to be confined on parent's sense of diligent supervision to let them understand who Santa is.

Children's anticipation for (material) gift during Christmas may led them to overemphasize materialism with Christmas. It would be a tough job for Christian parents to explain to their kids the mythology of Santa Clause and the factuality of Jesus Christ, if they are continually teased to Santa Clause.

Though, the thought of a Santa Clause is secularly entertaining, we must spearhead in letting our loved ones understand, specially little kids, that a Child, shivering the cold nights in the manger, no matter what is still and will always be the Reason for the Season.

☺☺☺

PRE-CHRISTMAS WRAP-UP: The Hows and Whys of Gift-Giving

Christmas season use to scoop-up the tradition of gift giving. If we give gift for the newlywed, for the birthday celebrant and to our sweethearts on certain anniversaries, then Christmas must have been a culmination of all those gifts put together. So why do we give gift on Christmas then? We have simple and deep reason for it. Others do it by tradition (because it's Christmas) and others do it for some emotional reasons.

By tradition it was said that it started with the three wise men or simply the magi when during Jesus Christ nativity in Bethlehem, they offered gifts namely gold, frankincense and myrrh. The visitation is celebrated on the sixth of January, we call it the Epiphany (from the Greek word, meaning to “show” or to “manifest”). Over time celebrating the Epiphany (on the part of its ritual which is gift giving) became more associated with Christmas rather than an independent practice itself. Gift-giving could be more likely is credited to Epiphany, nevertheless December 25 could be considered the climax of this ritual. Epiphany's cause is Christ's birth and Christ's birth caused the Epiphany. They could be one and the same with due respect to their meanings – love. After all, giving gift doesn't wait for seasonal emphasis but with ones choice to love and to give any time of the year.

Further, Santa Clause has something to say! For more secular rather than religious buffs of gift-giving, Santa Clause is an iconic figure during this cool season of the year. For short, he is that big jolly old man depicted on various narrative denominations who works with lots of gifts on a sleigh and rain deers too. His generosity is most noted during this season tossing gifts to children on the streets and on chimney walls.

Emotively, few other's give gift for deeper purpose. A gnome quotes, “you can give without loving but you can't love without giving.” Whatever that saying means to you, one of the essential requirements of love is for it to be redeemed by actions for it to be called as such. The perennial thing we used to do – gift-giving. We give gift to let that person, in the first place, feel his worth especially for the Christmas season. Although sometimes giving gift tends to be mechanical, it is worthwhile to step out from your door and think about why you give gift on Christmas.

Meanwhile, here are few tips you might use as your guidelines in buying gift. Thinking why you are giving gift could be proportionately difficult as how to get and give that gift stuff. Don't worry, you're not to give an absolutely perfect gift, you are only to give a sincere gift which doesn't need to be perfect. These tips gets through either you’re giving gift to your parents, relatives or especial loved ones.

According to “Present Perfect: The Essential Guide to Gift Giving” (Mobius Press), by Sherri and Larry Athay, the best gifts share several common characteristics: appropriateness, perceptiveness, selflessness, generosity, indulgence, surprise and evocation.

Appropriateness - The perfect gift is fitting for the occasion and the relationship. A tin of homemade Christmas cookies to a coworker would be a thoughtful gesture.

Perceptiveness - A gift that reflects the giver’s attention to the tastes and preferences of the recipient is preferred. In essence, it’s a compliment that says, “When I saw this, I couldn’t help but think of you!”

Selflessness - The giver should only desire to please the recipient - expecting nothing in return. This “no-return” policy includes any satisfaction the giver anticipates from the observations of others about the extravagance of the gift or the generosity of the giver.

Generosity - Resourceful gifts reveal how special the recipient is to the giver. Often, endowments of the giver’s time, effort or creativity are the most generous and memorable characteristics of a gift.

Indulgence - It pampers, it humors, it appeases, it satisfies - the perfect gift says there is something extraordinary about the recipient in the eyes of the giver.

Surprise - Careful and discreet planning can catch even the most suspecting recipient off guard. A spontaneous gift even can be more fun.

☺☺☺