Christ-mus’ mean giving

In the old days, it was the Scrooges that played spoilsport around Christmas (remember his famous “Bah Humbug!”) but now it seems we are in danger of the exact opposite thing — spending too much! Netizens dub the holiday season “Cashmas” when it becomes a celebration of materialism rather than love and sharing. Who’s got the prettiest tree? Who’s giving the best gifts? Who’s hosting the biggest bash?
Well, it’s good to be generous and gifts are the order of the day, but let’s not forget the real reason why Christmas is celebrated. As advertising professional Sheenu Mathew says, “People have a tendency to take Christ out of Christmas and make it Xmas. Businesses take full advantage of the holiday season and a lot of people look at it as the party season, but for me, Christmas is the time to be with family and friends.” Sheenu, an employee at O&M, adds, “At our office, Christmas is huge. Not just for the Christians either. We are playing Secret Santa and it’s a great way to bring people closer. We’re not giving lavish gifts but trying to make someone’s day with a small gesture.”
Vocalist Deep Dub has decided to give Cashmas a miss. The youngster, who comes from a Christian family, explains, “Everywhere I look, I see people trying to cash in on the festive season. Malls, hotels, restaurants and clubs are all coming up with special attractions to boost their sales. I myself got several offers to perform at theme parties but I’m going to sit this one out. This time around, I’ve decided to just chill at home and spend time with the family.”
In fact, even some non-Christians have had enough of Cashmas. RJ and producer Archana Addoni, a Tamil Brahmin, tells us, “I don’t understand why people feel the urge to splurge around Christmas time. Personally, I take it as an opportunity to go to church and do some introspection. Actually, it’s the one day of the year that I go to church — I don’t care if it’s a Protestant church or a Catholic church or whatever.”
Of course, it’s no sin to spend money, but there’s a lot of good you could do while you’re at it, points out Pearl Shinny, an MBA student. “For many of us, this is the one big celebration of the year and we want to pull out all the stops. While we’re celebrating, if we could bring the festive cheer into someone else’s life, then that’s the point of Christmas for me,” says Pearl, who along with her family, distributes new clothes among leprosy patients for Christmas.
“The true spirit of the season should not be forgotten amidst all this celebration,” she adds. Merry Christmas!


Christmas , Festivals,