A merry little Christmas

"The only Christmas bonus we got was a card from the boss," a man in his twenties said loudly and sarcastically.

"He can keep his Christmas card," his companion commented.

We were having dinner at a small restaurant that served Vietnamese food. It was late, we were hungry, and the gas station where the restaurant was located had parking space. There was no ambiance to speak of but the food was hot and cheap. The restaurant also served beer and was popular among office workers from the surrounding buildings.

We were seated at a space where a pathway should have been. The complaining men were seated so close to me that I could inhale their second-hand smoke. They were dressed fashionably and at the rate they were ordering beer, they were probably paid more than minimum wages. By the time we finished our meal, they were on their third bucket of beer and were still complaining about what a cheapskate the boss was and speculating on his gender because he picked "cutie-pie" as his codename for the Christmas exchange of gifts. Poor boss.

A week later, a man appeared at our gate and gave me an envelope with a description of his plight typed on the flap. He looked like he was in his twenties and was healthy enough to get a job. Just the same, I gave him twenty pesos. I was appalled when he refused to leave and insisted that I give him his "pinaskuhan." I was tempted to get my money back.

Earlier this month, I received empty envelopes with "Merry Christmas!" written outside from the couriers who deliver my magazines and from a group of garbage collectors. Does that mean that they will not deliver my magazines or collect garbage if I don't put money in the envelopes? I also saw security guards holding a Christmas collection box at a subdivision's gate. The message seemed to be "No donation, no entry."

I don't remember when Christmas started to be more about giving gifts than about the coming of Christ. Growing up, the most important décor at home was the belen. We exchanged gifts on Christmas eve and did not have to think about what to get for whom until we picked our manito/manita. The mailman and the garbage collectors never sent any empty envelopes our way.

Today, I watch tv and get bombarded by ads that say that it's not Christmas unless I serve my family a Christmas feast with a glowing ham as a centerpiece. I open the lifestyle section of newspapers and feel inadequate that I cannot afford to buy the expensive things that my loved ones "must have." Christmas has become a story about money and what money can buy. The perceived lack of it must be making employees bitch about getting "only" a Christmas card from the boss and not cash.

This year, I've decided to keep my Christmas simple. I'm giving gifts only to immediate members of my family and my household. I did not even attempt to set up my Christmas tree. I have a belen and an old capiz parol that my neighbor switches on when I'm not at home. She also turns it off on days I get home late.

I feel the Christmas season the most when I'm attending the simbang gabi. When we go to the anticipated mass and sit outside, I like the way the cold December breeze messes up my hair. On cloudless nights, we also see a lot of stars. I wish everyone peace and the ability to recognize moments of joy. Merry Christmas!

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