Better Late Than Never

Surprise! Surprise! I finally find the time to post to the blog. Unfortunately, I have the time because I am sick with a severe cold and have to quarantine myself from my family. With nothing to do in the locked bedroom (well, actually I am supposed to clean up this messy room, but I am just too lazy to do it. After all, I am weak with a cold!) I thought ranting on how miserable I am would be the best way to spend time. Plus, this posting will double my blog from one article to two. Hey, it’s better late than never!

Come to think of it, I am always miserable in the month of November and December. While others are in happy mood to welcome the holiday season and the New Year, I am dreadful for experiencing yet another "it's the tradition" crap put together by merchants. According to the "tradition," there are turkeys to roast, cards to mail, stocking to stuff and trees to cut, but benefiting who? What would we gain by upholding the "tradition?"

Take, for example, Thanksgiving. It was supposed to be a day celebrating the generosity of indigenous American (or commonly known as Indians) to the pilgrims for helping and teaching pilgrims surviving the harsh winter in North America. However, as history has shown, many years later pilgrims returned the ultimate favor by conducting genocide against Indians and grabbing most of their land.

Fast forward to today. Many countries around the world now celebrate thanksgiving as well. But have you noticed that people from these countries now think that Thanksgiving is a day to "give thanks to ... (you fill in the blank)" and not really knowing the origin of day nor the dire consequence Indians suffered after they landed a helping hand to their new neighbors fresh off the boat from Europe? I thought thanks should be given on a daily basis to everyone around you who help you have a better day or help the world to be a better place to live. People deserve more than one day to be thanked!

What about Thanksgiving dinner? Don't even get me started. Americans have turkey for Thanksgiving because turkey is a native game bird. It was one of the primary poultry available in North America. It is understandable that pilgrim did it then. There were not that many other animals to come around. However, with the availability of a variety selection on food, why should the turkey be singled out to be slaughtered for the day? Who should turkey thank for the atrocity? Furthermore, what in the hack does the rest of the world also eat turkey on this day? I can live with the "tradition" claim that Americans wants to make, but Asians and Europeans? C'mon, are you in Asia and Europe really that gullible and willing to buy in the "tradition" presented to you by the American poultry farms? Eat a cob of corn for the sake of the bird and you will have one more soul to thank you on this holiday.

Of course, December comes with the Christmas. I have no bone to pick with the bona fide Christians to celebrate the birth of Christ. But I do not think Christ would agree with the merchants taking his birthday as a marketing vehicle to sell, sell, sell. If you are like a Franciscan Priest, buying gifts to distribute to the poor (now this is actually what Santa Clause is all about), then you have all my respect and my comment in this entry is not directed to you. However, if you are buying gift for friends and family just to celebrate (and please this time to reflect what exactly are you celebrating about), then I suggest you to do it on a more meaningful day - say on a birthday or an anniversary. On Christmas, instead of wasting money on buying gifts that can be bought after Christmas at half price (yep, I already heard the buzz about the big post Christmas sale at Macy's), spread your love, buy toys and books for the poor and disadvantaged children, or buy clothes for the poor and serve a meal at a homeless shelter. Now, that is a meaning way to celebrate Christ's birthday.

Try not to cut down too many trees by not having a Christmas tree or sending Christmas card for a change. The mother earth will thank you. Instead, call your friends on a regular basis instead of sending them a card once a year. Human relations are built upon trust and closeness, not the once a year card sending protocol.

I just realized that it is too late for me to send out any card to long lost acquaintances and have them receive cards before Christmas. Well, I guess I will search through my piles of old cards to see if I can recycle some of them. It is better late than never.