النهار

Bling-bling Christmas trees everywhere, lights in the streets, Christmas chores in churches, and of course "Santa Clause" running in the mall. It's the rush to gift our loved ones and expect to see love in return in the form of wrapped boxes (fancy if possible). And here the famous 24th of December is getting closer, the "evening of the year." It's an occasion to impress everyone with every detail possible. So here comes the stress of what to wear, what to cook, how to decorate, etc. And here's the whole family gathering around the table wearing their new "Christmassy" outfit, cheek-to-cheek smiles with a glimpse of wine, and so the clock announces midnight! It's the moment everyone has been waiting for to open gifts or "unbox"—to be trendy. We wish a Merry Christmas to everyone and go to bed with our hearts and stomachs full. The second day, we eat the food of the day before, of course, as a reminder of the magical effect of Christmas that starts to fade. The description above is "ideal for how to imagine everyone celebrating Christmas, but by removing filters, we know that's not true for everyone. Christmas is not a season, but a feeling. That's why everyone feels it in their own way; that might be different from one year to another. While some are still crying over the loss of a loved one, others might be facing cancer, others might have recently lost their jobs, and so on and on. This dinner is a reminder of the importance of family support, where people still show up and gather, putting hand in hand despite the silent tears in their eyes, backing up each other, and having faith that tomorrow will be a better day. In both scenarios, I believe Christmas is the best time for self-reflection. It's time to open hearts, spread kindness, ask for forgiveness, forgive others, and live anger-free. This feeling is worth millions of empty gifts.