Happy birthday to who...

Saturday, December 10, 2011

GO sing the traditional birthday song and replace the word “you” with “who.”

Props to you if you tried it out while holding up today’s paper—guess you couldn’t care less if people around you thought you’d gone mad.

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But enough of that for now. Stuff like “insanity” and “singing” are more fitting for a karaoke place.

Now shifting toward the serious aspect of this story: how much “Christ” ends up on our holiday date books, to-do lists and weekend plans?

Yes, folks. Just like that anti-piracy clip that plays before every movie, or that warning label on the boxes of your tasty-traitor-tobacco-sticks aka cigars, this could work as a “gentle reminder” about the basics of the holiday.

Simply put: Where is Christ in Christmas?

Now, now, taking a holiday leave from work to go on a mountain retreat may not be the direct suggested idea here (although there is nothing entirely wrong with that in itself). But really, the name “Christmas” didn’t just appear from out of thin air.

It could have been labeled and marketed with a more rocking theme like “Winterfest,” or if the ancient geeks (yes, geeks not Greeks) wanted to be more groovy with it, they could’ve called it “December Fever” or “High on 25.”

But nope, the word “Christ” is there for a reason and something as basic as history goes on to prove it. Children probably know the story from watching cartoons on television, attending stage plays in schools, or hearing the account from their very own parents.

I’m tempted to say “May the choice meats on your holiday table remind you of the varied audience present at the Nativity scene,” but I think that may be a little bit too gruesome for a feel-good holiday like Christmas. Although the Nativity scene is one of the wonderful symbols that take us back to where all this started—the birth of Jesus in an inn in Bethlehem, witnessed by kings and shepherds alike. And yes, the farm animals.

There is also the Christmas star, after which numerous lanterns on the street are patterned. This celestial sign reminds us of how it became the guiding light that led the pilgrims to where Christ was born.

Then also, there are the carols, both traditional and modern. Needless to say, not all Christmas songs talk about the birth in Bethlehem, and that’s perfectly fine. Pop, dance and rock and roll definitely have their place at parties. But there are some tracks that do tell the Christmas tale, by way of infectious and well-crafted melodies.

“Whenever I see boys and girls, selling lanterns on the street.” Every Filipino probably knows the words to this song or at least the message it carries.

Being reminded of the reason we celebrate is not only good but essential as well. Essential in the sense that, if we lose track of why we’re merrymaking in the first place, then it makes us no different from gatecrashers who make their way to a gathering for the grub and giveaways, but have very little to do with the celebrant himself or herself.

On a more academic note, there is evidence that Dec. 25 may not exactly be Christ’s birthday, but instead just the day selected to celebrate the birth of Christ. Whatever the case (and you can log onto the Internet to do your own research), it should be just basic for us to know who we’re singing that birthday song to. Merry Christmas!