With the holidays coming in fast, so are rising prices. As Christmas approaches, how does one expect to keep up with the traditions of gift-giving, Noche Buena, and family gatherings with inflation coming to town?
ALL YEAR ROUND, Filipinos brittle their bones to keep themselves and their families afloat. Then, they hear the jingle of bells and their hearts sing with joy at the thought of coming home for Christmas–a time when warmth is gifted and problems melt away.
Unfortunately, this year’s Christmas is unlike any other. Despite the two previous Christmases being celebrated in isolation, Filipinos can now spend the season with lesser restrictions in place. Still, the burden to keep up with traditions of the past now comes at a high price, when inflated prices push us to question what lies behind the glow of our lantern lights and the true cost of a Christmas well-spent.
The ghost of Christmas past
Waking up to Christmas morning carries with it a unique sense of joy. As Glycer Maryjoy “MJ” Manlapaz (3 BFA CW) expresses, “There is always a degree of excitement during the holiday season when you’re a kid.” Seeing the streets full of life with decorations while receiving gifts was an experience closely nestled in the heart of her nostalgia.
As someone who has finally earned her own finances, Manlapaz now plans to be the person on the other end of this Christmas custom. Since she is the one going back to her province for the holidays, her goal is to bring as much pasalubong as possible.
To Manlapaz, gift-giving is more than just an established tradition but a way for her to directly express love towards family and friends. While she has received fewer gifts as the years progressed, Manlapaz gains equal joy in seeing the smile of her loved ones with the simple presents she has given them. This is a familiar gesture that lets them know that, even in their time apart, they are still being thought of and remembered.
By the same token, Alec*(3 BS PSY), a current scholar in the Ateneo, highlights their holidays through acts of giving rather than being given. They help wherever help is needed by contributing to the financial necessities of their household when they can and carry on the task of being a real-life Santa Claus to the younger relatives of their extended family.
Even now as they live in a dorm—far away from their own kin—Alec takes it upon themself to still live the Christmas spirit among fellow scholars and students living in the University Residences. Though coming from different walks of life, students are unified by a shared struggle of missing a home that is miles away.
Though many have matured past childlike celebrations of the holidays, memories may continue to hold the comfort of Christmases past. Alec looks back on their previous Christmas festivities: watching relatives prepare home-cooked Noche Buena classics and enjoying them together as a family as they sit at the dinner table, with neighboring homes doing the same.
Alec explains that the key to their complete Christmas is to celebrate it with the ones that matter most. Whether through offering them love that has been neatly wrapped in a gift box or sharing a platter of delicacies, these moments guarantee that the stomachs and hearts of those we love will never be empty no matter how long and frigid the December nights may be.
Still the most wonderful time of the year?
Although most lockdown restrictions have lightened and people are reunited once more, Filipinos still face the dilemma of choosing between grand celebrations and simple plans at home. Alec’s mother, Mia*, is one of the many who struggle to feel that Christmas this year could ever be as great as past ones. With the rapid rise in costs of living, she feels forced to forgo future gatherings, minimize holiday decorations, and even decrease her budget for gift-giving.
This Christmas, Mia opts for a minimal holiday set-up, with a cardboard Belen and a small Christmas tree. Beyond decorations, when it comes to Noche Buena, she and her family now choose their meals based on what would be beneficial more than once. “Iniisip namin, kinabukasan may ulam pa [ba] kami (We’d think about if we’d still have food for tomorrow),” she shares.
Mia’s sister, who works overseas, often sends packs of pasta to the Philippines for her family members to eat over the holidays. Then, she and her family would do their best to use a pack of pasta per occasion to lessen expenses.
Ultimately, the effects of inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic remain a difficult reality to bear as individuals struggle to feel the joy of Christmas. “As Filipinos, we like to stick to our traditions, so kahit gumagapang na because of inflation, kailangan may handa sa Noche Buena, kailangan may pamasko (As Filipinos, we like to stick to our traditions, so even though we’re struggling because of inflation, we need to have something ready for Christmas Eve, we need to give Christmas gifts),” Manlapaz expresses.
Similarly, although Alec remains excited for the holidays and a well-deserved break, they cannot deny the sadness that seeps into their heart as they recall the various expenses they’re expecting. “Inflation limits your options especially when you don’t have work,” they share sadly.
Love in the long haul
Facing inflation hinders the ability to fully enjoy the holidays, with time spent most on worrying about expenses and recalculating budgets. Despite hope seemingly running on short supply, Manlapaz, Mia, and Alec share similar sentiments on the holidays. For them, Christmas is a time meant for sharing, loving, and reuniting with loved ones.
Thus, in an economic reality where caring for oneself is an everyday struggle, dedicating time and effort to taking care of our loved ones this holiday season is still a valuable element of the spirit of Christmas. “Iba pa rin ‘yung naipagluluto mo ‘yung anak mo, naaasikaso mo (There’s a unique feeling being able to cook for your child, to be able to care for them),” Mia shares.
Similarly, Alec expresses their excitement in being able to let go of their worries on whether they would have food or not, and in being able to live as carefree as a child again. “Kami na ‘yung inaalagaan, […] kasi nandoon na ‘yung mga magulang namin (We’d be the ones being taken care of, […] because our parents are there),” they share.
Though tradition may change through inflation, the Christmas spirit resonates through the intimacies of each family in a variety of ways. Gift-giving may be limited to smaller circles, and decorations may be minimal, yet, for some, a loved one’s presence is a sufficient present to complete the holiday spirit. “You only get to understand the value of something once it’s not with you,” Manlapaz says, recalling time spent with her family.
As inflation has effectively changed celebrations and traditions, it brings forth a challenge to find joy in the simplest of things. While some struggle to do this on a regular day, others race to determine what completes their holiday celebration. This Christmas, the answers people hold onto may be the key to the true essence of holiday cheer.
*Editor’s Note: The interviewees’ names have been changed at their request to protect their identity and privacy.
