Remember, it's called CHRISTmas...

Yesterday, I went with my family to Tanglin Mall to bring my younger sister to this annual snow-making event that last for about two months. Well, it's not real snow (duh) but just child-friendly soap suds, but they could still cause 'blizards' at the entrance of the mall. Anyway, while I supervised my sis, I noticed the decorations on the Christmas tree and the lyrics of the songs playing at full blast through the speakers at the entrance of the mall, and a non-surprising yet shocking thing I took note of was that although these decos where meant for Christmas, not all, not even 50% of it all, doesn't show the true meaning of the holiday.

For those who don't know what I mean by the true meaning of Christmas, I meant the Nativity Story. By right, this particular day is suppose to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, The Lord, Jesus Christ.

And what do I see?

A Christmas tree covered in models of a fat bearded man, nutcrackers, noblemen, dancers, geese, swans, milkladies, golden rings and other things not related to Christ's birth AND 2/3 of the songs played about piggy pudding, presents and the models mentioned above.

The only things I found related to the Nativity was the Nativity Star on the top of the tree and the remaining 1/3 of Christian Songs celebrating the birth of Christ and how he would save us.

If this kind of mindset is the actual default definition of Christmas, then I guess Christmas has definitely lost a whole lot of respect. I mean, most people in Singapore know that Vesak Day is for the Budhist, Deepavali is for the Hindis and Hari Raya Hagi/Raya are for the Muslims. But if only a minority knows that Christmas if for the Christians and NOT for people who think that an old fat couple and 13 flying reindeers could survive in the North Pole for the past few centuries and be able to circle more than the Equator faster than the Sun while distributing presents into chimenies, this means that many have forgotten the Lord and what He's done for us.

How would you like it if it was your birthday today and you invited all your friends to your house to celebrate, only to find them neglecting you when they arrive, watch them pass the birthday presents to each other but not you and hear them say that today is the day when someone was born but that the specialty of the day was that someone was going to distribute free PlayStation 3s to every kid who behaves good, only to know that the person is a fake and that you were the 'person that was born that day'?

Miserable? Well, that's what the Lord feels when He watches His children celebrate His Birthday without Him being invited at all.

I'm not saying that every person is looking at Christmas wrongly; who knows, I might not know a thing or two about it myself. But if you're going to celebrate Christmas, at least celebrate it for the right reason, and not for the piggy pudding.

Christ will always be waiting for you to turn to Him...