Christmas in crisis

It's December 24 today. Christmas eve later, in Catholic customs.

Our dining table was totally empty earlier today. The electricity was busted too, until about an hour ago when it was finally fixed.

It's promising to be the most pathetic Christmas. Ever.

The Philippines is really in crisis. But then, we are in perpetual crisis that we don't realize just how dire our circumstances are. In Philippine culture, we must continue celebrating even if there' s no reason to do so, even if we do not have the means to do so. That's how it is; even if it would drain all your resources, you must have that one special day or meal, way better than your regular fanfare. The more extravagant, the better.

I think it's money and consumption which comprises the celebrations. I realized that it's true, too, that money makes the world go round. At least in present conditions and the current system. If you don't have money, you can't even feel excited about Christmas. Or any other holiday for that matter.

Money. The one thing that controls everything else in the capitalist world.

Nowadays, happiness really does come for a price. And, in most cases, that price might just be too high to pay, we just don't realize it.

P.S. Last week I had to go somewhere and stay there for several days. Well, in that lane where we stayed, there was only one house full of Christmas lights. The rest didn't feel like they were celebrating at all. I think it indicates just how the crisis has affected the Philippines today.

By the way, this post has everything to do with holidays and the current crisis (which everyone seems to believe has passed, but I beg to differ. There's no denying poverty everywhere). I'm not criticizing Christians or whatever (technically, I'm Christian too). While I believe in religion, and I respect each religion, since it's a matter of choosing what actually works for us, I just don't think that religion and religious customs should be used to control people. Nor do I believe in using religion to sell, or to urge them to consume more than they can.

So yeah, I guess I am criticizing Philippine culture as pertaining to Catholic customs.