After Action [COMPLETED]

[GR] "A PRESSING QUESTION FOR THE HOLIDAYS: PHILIPPINE EDITION"

Written 23 December 2019

"Is Christmas really coming tomorrow?" Such is the question that suddenly popped inside my head.

I objectively know that the answer is, "Yes―Christmas is coming." But I don't even feel the monsoon chill that came along with it. (The Amihan is here, all right, but its presence is so weak its almost nonexistent.) Normally there are bright, colorful lights from each household, with accompanying seasonal music to boot. In an ironic twist, the only reminders of Christmastime in my place comes from the lanterns hung up from electric poles; the only sounds I can hear are the very same sounds I'm hearing every night―human chatter, roars of motorcycles and cars revving up as its passengers speed away to their destinations. Another thing is the "surprising" lack of conversation revolving around the topic of Christmas. It's only through news shows that we are reminded that the most anticipated day―the supposed day of birth of Christendom's central figure (which is during the summertime, as experts say)―is only a few hours away . . .

Maybe I subconsciously ignored everything around me, as I turned my focus inwards. Maybe the fact that the Filipino society as a whole have changed―for the worse―is totally undeniable. Or it might be a combination of both factors. If one thing's for certain, it's this: "the true essence of Christmas was killed, a long time ago, by the endlessly-devouring machine called consumerism."