Our first Christmas under New Normal
THIS year’s Christmas will definitely be one of the more memorable ones, be it good and bad.
It is the first Christmas celebration of the decade by thousands of families when practices of the old are embraced to rekindle the spiritual life and earthly love, without restraints but still cautious, nonetheless. The excitement to join the 9-day celebration of the traditional “Simbang Gabi” has stirred mixed feelings – out of relief and gratitude for their blessings, and out of sadness and gratitude for the challenges that many had to confront during the pandemic.
While the Covid pandemic may have changed some lifestyles under the New Normal, Christmas celebration will always be the same for Christian families. The Nativity scene will never be lost in their consciousness. The time for sharing gifts of love and joy will always be embraced. Recalling the purpose of birth of Jesus will always be the central message of Filipinos’ “Simbang Gabi”.
Families will always find Christmas as the best occasion to reach out to relatives, touching hearts and minds wherever they are. After all, Christmas, with or without the hype and commercialism, always deepens emotional ties and bonds. There will always be children mouthing Christmas carols they hardly understand but are warm and sincere when they sing “Tenk yu, ten kyu …ang babait ninyo…” after receiving tokens from strangers.
Perhaps one practice that will change under the New Normal, will be the constant exchanging of selfies and groufies with smart gadgets in most everyone’s hands. There will be less picture frames to adorn living rooms, that’s for sure.
Another will be more of senior citizens organizing reunions with classmates, retired colleagues from companies and firms openly recalling the good old days that make them laugh at themselves heartily.
Hopefully, Christmas under the. New Normal will be a time for many to make the resolve to be better persons, more caring even with the smartphones never leaving their hands.
Merry Christmas PUNCHERS!!
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