Living the Christmas spirit

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Once again, the air is abuzz with familiar sights and sounds of the Yuletide. Twinkling parol lights, joyful carols, bibingka stalls and shoppers armed with festively wrapped packages surround us. But beyond the colors and celebrations lies something deeper and quieter that should be more lasting— the spirit of Christmas.

This spirit isn’t found in a well lighted home, in the number of gifts given, or in how many get-togethers we attend. Instead, it lives in the simple, steady ways we choose generosity, sharing and love, especially when life feels busy, tiring and uncertain. Christmas should not be a one day event but a way of living.

Generosity as a daily practice

It’s easy to imagine generosity as grand acts or lavish presents.  But its true nature is often small, steady and sincere.  It can be seen in sharing a meal with a neighbor who lives alone, sending a message to someone who’s been quiet, or lending a listening ear to a struggling loved one.

In a season where many feel obliged to “do” and “give,” generosity isn’t measured by quantity but by intention. Sometimes the best things we can bestow are the ones money can’t buy:  attention, understanding and presence.

In this season of gifting, handing out material things is not the only option.  Offering time and talent can be more valuable, especially when sharing opens up our hearts and inspires us to serve others.

Sharing that brings people closer

Lavish feasts, stories, laughter and even the chaos of family gatherings and reunions are so much a part of the Christmas culture.  Yet this season also invites us to go beyond tradition and seek more purpose.

Selfless gestures like distributing food packs to the homeless or visiting the elderly at a home for the aged can be more meaningful to ourselves and others.  There are so many other ways to bless those whose lives may be tougher than ours. 

Sharing builds community, which strengthens hope. In a world where many feel isolated or burdened, even the smallest act of kindness can make someone feel they aren’t forgotten.

Love made visible

If generosity and sharing are Christmas in motion, love is Christmas in its purest form. Not the romantic kind splashed across holiday movies and k-dramas, but one that is steady, faithful and lifts others up.  Love is choosing to mend broken relationships and forgiving those who’ve hurt us.  It’s responding with patience instead of irritation, and doing good even when no one is looking.  Sometimes, love simply means showing up or slowing down enough to be fully present to connect with someone’s heart.

The first Christmas in Bethlehem began with a great love that came quietly in a manger, wrapped not in luxury but in humility.  That love still calls us today—to be gentle when the world feels harsh, hopeful when days feel heavy, and faithful even in times of hardship.

Keeping Christmas beyond December

The real beauty of Christmas is that its spirit doesn’t have to fade. We can carry it throughout the year in small, intentional ways:

• Smile more freely
• Speak more kindly
• Give without expectations
• Pray for people you know and don’t know
• Make your home a sanctuary of peace
• Let your heart be a place of grace  

Keeping the Yuletide spirit alive isn’t about living it up. It’s about expressing love and compassion, every day, with the people God places in our path. 

A season that lives In us

At its core, Christmas reminds us that even in ordinary days, its spirit can be felt and shared with others.  When we choose generosity, give unselfishly, and love unconditionally, we become bearers and reflections of God’s heavenly light.

May we carry the spirit of Christmas in December and every month that follows—by offering warmth, hope and joy to every jaded and scarred heart we meet.