I find this topic to be quite overrated or rather so cliched subjectively speaking. One could just say that the essence of Christmas is giving, or it could be spending it with someone they love and be done with it.

                Quite dull if I may speak so frankly. In the religious sense, Christmas is celebrated for the commemoration of the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. And we as traditional Filipinos, we glorify it with superfluous festivities such as  the lavish food and decorations. We would take days beforehand setting up, the preparation of Christmas trees and lights and garlands and other decorations. Then someone who would spend the whole day in the kitchens to bake, boil, fry, grill and steam whatever the dining table may behold. We eat, enjoy and be with our loved ones to our hearts content. I have nothing against this tradition per se, but when we think about it, this is the day when Jesus was born in a haystack, surrounded with barnyard animals. Now wouldn't everything just feel overwrought? Extravagant? Excessive?

                Yes, there is the adage to disagree with my point that we really should celebrate to the point of being overdone because it is Jesus’ birthday. I don’t disagree.

                But I would like to say that one Christmas, I would like to take time to feel its essence. Just under the cold night, swimming among the brightness of the shining stars, blanketed by the twinkling joys of merriment of my family and relish. Relish the fact that I am in this world today, surrounded with my loved ones because of the birth of one savior and smile.