Christmas is once again at the horizon. Despite the seemingly inextricable presence of the pandemic, it is poised to become a reason for joy to those who value its meaning and hold its existence as sacred. All the while, there’s a sense of precariousness for next year looming on the other side.
We’re already entering another year under the coronavirus scare since its onset. For something that feels almost like a rollercoaster ride, there is relief in knowing that many of us had survived the onslaught of spreading disease by making it all the way through to the yuletide season. It is truly fortunate, but a scary journey still, nonetheless.
But like last year, Christmas of this year will not be practised the way age-old tradition does—it being people-centred and with plenty of gift-giving. Conversely, it will be met with constraints, as a safety measure against a still lingering threat. Nevertheless, it will be ideally celebrated with some level of lenience and generosity all the same. It is, after all, a once-a-year-only celebration that is meant for great cheer, why miss it?
Yet, while the entire Christendom will put Christmas at the pedestal when it arrives, nowhere is the occasion more observed than among Filipino-Australian communities through a shared common belief between diverse, but of similar religious faith, ethnicities.
So, what can we anticipate about Christmas in 2021?
The first thing that everyone would notice is how restrictive the event will still be, in light of the unrelenting COVID-19. Christmas, as momentous as an event that it is, will not simply scare the coronavirus away, even if for just a day. More or less, this means limiting people from gathering in large groups. Possibly, with special attention towards those who remain unvaccinated all this time, which represents slightly more than a quarter of Australia’s entire population. But this is something that has to be taken with an open mind, considering the controversy about inoculation; which, to a certain extent, may be synonymous to the saying, ‘You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink’.
With Christmas fast approaching, the world was recently shocked again to learn of a new Omicron variant that has infected people all over the world. As we continue to discover more about this new variant, authorities say there is no reason to panic but people should remain vigilant. Yet, again stories scare Australians every day.
Now, while it is certainly fun to share the positive vibe of the occasion with other people, like seeing others willingly set aside life’s pressing problems and just cherish the day of the Lord’s birth, it might not be as openly demonstrated during a pandemic. Many are likely going to enjoy the event with the warmth of a smaller group or peers. But Christmas has, at its core, mostly been about family and those we care about, essentially. This means that, out of all places, the annual celebration typically takes place at home—and more importantly, with the people we affectionately call as loved ones.
In almost the same manner, Filipinos back home would observe Christmas, too, like it is a day without problems. Because knowing their resiliency and steadfast commitment to their faith, the pandemic is not strong enough to take away Christmas as an important occasion to look forward to.
At the end of the day, while 2022 will be a new chapter that is fraught with doubts, no amount of worry can simply remove those undetermined factors that are about to come. Instead of fear, we ought to be facing the unknown with peace of mind, knowing that life is simply dynamic and that it can still change for the better somehow if we endure.
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