Written by Gregory Yu, Managing Partner of Argos Watches
In the Philippines, the Christmas season is something people look forward to every year.
Christmas is a time for gift-giving. It is a time for celebration. It is a time when people come home and spend time with their families, no matter where they are.
For me and my family, it's no different. Growing up with a huge and close-knit family, we take our celebrations very seriously-- especially the holidays. To us, it's a worthwhile excuse to get together, feast on good food, and just enjoy each other's company. We would stay up in the eves of Christmas Day and the New Year and wish each other best tidings as the clock strikes 12.
Photo Source: https://thelasallian.com/2020/12/23/eat-drink-and-be-merry-deconstructing-the-noche-buena/
I've never missed our Christmas celebrations. In my 35 years on this Earth, I have consistently been able to attend our Family gatherings as far as I have been aware of the world. Some years, we would be plenty wherein I wouldn't even be able to recognize half of the people attending. Some years, the number of empty seats would be noticeable. In recent years, a lot of people stopped going. Then came the pandemic, which has completely halted the gatherings.
Despite this though, our immediate family still has its own little holiday gatherings during Christmas and New Year's. The tradition lives on-- but for me, not for long.
Since I'll be married next year, my time will be divided between my family and my future wife's. Her family consists of avid travelers and prefer to spend their holidays outside the country. Being integrated in their family in a few months means that I'll get to travel with them as their tradition entails. However, this will also mean having to sacrifice my own family time by being away from them during the season.
Christmas in the years following this one will never be the same for me again.
And yet, home isn't really a question of where, isn't it? Home is a question of what, of who, and of how. Coming home during the holidays is about who I choose to spend my time with. Don't get me wrong, I love my family. But my [future] wife's family is also my family, and I love her very much. To be able to spend time with her during Christmas is a dream come true for me as we've spent most of our holidays away from each other.
Time spent with your loved ones is a time-honored tradition of the Holiday season. This is the season for creating memories, and reminiscing on the past year. The holidays are for the warmth of family: the warmth of the people you hold most dear.
In my case, Christmas moving forward will not be about losing time from my home, but gaining a new place I call home.
To those who have stuck to the end of this little story: I and the entire Argos family would like to wish you and your families a radiant and meaningful holiday season!