21 There is More to Christmas than Presents
By Ms. Ng Sin Yee
It is that time in December again where the sights and sounds of the Christmas season is all around. People are filled with excitement and joy as they are busy with shopping, planning parties, and meeting friends and family to celebrate the Christmas holiday. Depending on your belief, Christmas carries a different meaning to many people. What is the real meaning of Christmas?
When I was a child, I always put up a Christmas tree at home with my sister, and we hung stockings as decorations. However, I was never excited about the idea of Santa Claus. We didn’t have a fireplace and chimney, so it was difficult to believe in the magic of Santa to appear in our apartment living room. My parents often took us to Tsim Sha Tsui to see the glittering Christmas lights where many family photos were taken. Christmas parties at school were always full of fun. I still have a vivid memory of one Christmas party when a classmate accidentally flung his sock into another student’s mouth while we were playing games. The whole class laughed to tears.
As I reflect back on all the Christmas moments in my life, the most memorable parts were not the gifts I received, but the special times I spent with family and friends. Memories mean so much more than presents. They are timeless treasures that will stay with me until the end.
Gifts are great too, but Christmas is not just about presents. We are often drawn into a world where material ‘goods’ become the illusion of happiness. People find satisfaction through indulgence of excessive gifts to others and themselves, endless parties with abundance of food and drinks, and extravagant decorations. These actions are often performed because people have grown to expect it during Christmas time. The problem is that such fulfillment is only temporary and will soon be forgotten when there is no sincerity. Saying thank you without being able to sense the presence of love behind the presents we receive is no more than paying lip-service.
Happiness and joy come in different form, but it is universal that happiness in people comes from health, wellness, family, and friends. Christmas is a time to show thankfulness and appreciation for these most important things in life. It is the season to learn and teach the valuable lessons for enjoying all aspects of the Christmas holiday that goes far beyond receiving presents.
Let' s remember that the purpose for buying and receiving gifts is to share love and concern regardless of the cost, quantity, or size of what is given. Sometimes the most genuine and simple gesture carries the greatest impression, and we could have a more purposeful season and value those around us not for what they give us, but what we can share together in celebration and joy. Remembering someone with a thoughtful holiday card or expressing to our loved ones how much they mean to us is a great way to appreciate our family and friends.
Christmas is truly the most wonderful time of the year. May the peace and joy that Christmas brings always be with you and your family.