Streets adorned with twinkling lights, homes filled with the aroma of baked treats, and carols echoing in the air together brings an undeniable allure to the month of December.

However, Christmas always brings an image of a frozen, snowy landscape evoking a sense of serene coldness. But talking about Christmas from a land where snow never falls, I believe that most of you sometimes feel Christmas is like a distant fantasy too. I would love to have a radical shift to see Christmas in a different perspective.

But first, let’s dive into a bit of its history.

“Now is the time of the Christ’s Mass,
The feast of the Holy One,
When joy and peace and glory shine
And all the world is full of light.“

An Anglo-Saxon Christmas Poem (a type of poetry written in Old English by the Anglo-Saxon people between the 5th and 11th centuries)

The term “Christmas” is a shortened version of “Christ’s Mass”, which means “Mass on Christ’s day”. Originally it is a christian holiday where they celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and the date of December 25 th was chosen to align with the Roman winter solstice festivals, With time, christmas absorbed various customs from different cultures and traditions such as decorating Christmas trees and feasting which were influenced by pre Christian winter celebrations.
Christmas became a prominent celebration in Europe and during the Victorian era in the 19th century, many of the modern traditions we associate with Christmas today; such as the Christmas tree, caroling and sending Christmas cards began to take shape. The holiday has evolved into a global celebration by today, spreading peace and joy.

Now, diving into a different perspective I beleive that it’s worth asking; Does the modern era truly celebrate Christmas with its original meaning?

Shopping malls filled with Christmas decorations, Santas roaming around and people exchanging high valued gifts; all these are often done for fun and show. The commercialization of Christmas has transformed what was once a deeply spiritual and meaningful occasion into a season driven by materialism. While there is no harm in enjoying the festivities, it’s crucial to remember that these external displays should complement, not replace, the heart of the celebration.

Christmas is all about love, kindness and humanity. We usually say “May this Christmas filled with peace and happiness!, “Samaya sathuta piri suba naththalak weewa!”. What these words imply is an internal transformation. We should cultivate peace within ourselves, share happiness with others and bridge what seperates us.

“We are not mountains,
Rising to surpass others.
Let us be clear streams,
Flowing into the same river.”

“Sabanda api kandu nowemu,
Unun paraya nagena,
Sunila diya dahara wemu,
Ekama gangakata watena”

While thinking about bridging what divides us, this song emphasizes that we should not seek to dominate, compete, or rise above others in arrogance or selfishness. We should avoid being the source of fear or pain for the innocent.

So, then how can we grab the essence of Christmas and channel it into meaningful actions?

We can share a meal, sing carols and bring a sense of joy and belonging to less fortunate people like disabled individuals, cancer patients and orphans or elders in care homes. And also we can focus on giving, not just fancy gifts but something thoughtful like handmade gifts that causes help to those in need.

Throughout the Christmas vacation it is worth joining community projects and volunteering in Christmas events organized for underprivileged children or helping out at shelters. Even creativity and good hearts can turn Christmas decorations into meaningful decos too. And the most important thing is that just without passing time by scrolling through social media through the vacation it is really valuable to strengthen bonds with family and friends, and extend kindness to strangers. Moreover we can practice gratitude through reflecting on our blessings and sharing them with others, whether it’s through acts of service or simple gestures of appreciation.

Beyond the glitter and glamour in this festive season, let us be stars that illuminate the sky even in the darkest nights. Let’s guide, inspire and bring hope to those around us embracing the true spirit of christmas.

And as we say goodbye to another year, let’s sing;

“Oh, joy to the world, let kindness reign,
In every heart, remove the pain.
A star of hope, a gift to share,
Love and light are everywhere.”

May you have a Christmas filled with peace and happiness!

Written by: Eveesha D Kaluarachchi