How do you plan to celebrate the Christmas season to make it more meaningful despite the pandemic?
KEANN JOHNSON
“Since the pandemic began, I’ve had a lot of realizations, especially in relation to how precious time is, no matter how rich or young or healthy you are. So now, more than ever, I plan to make the most out of this holiday season by sharing it with my family. I want to laugh, eat, play, pray and make memories with them; to let them know how much I appreciate that they are still here and are healthy.
“I also plan to give to others as much as I can. I want to matter to them more than the money or gifts they will be receiving this Christmas. I likewise want to help spread awareness of the virus and how important good hygiene is. Lastly, I hope to be able to impact a person’s life—be it mine or someone else’s—by helping them achieve something life-changing or even just by saving a life by any means possible.”
JESSA ZARAGOZA
“We plan to celebrate Christmas by having a simple get-together with family.
“For me, the Christmas season becomes more meaningful if we put foremost in our minds the reason for the season, which is the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Pandemic or not, we should always reflect on that and make Him the focus of the holiday season, not the gift-giving.
“Another thing that would make the celebration of Christmas more meaningful, despite the challenges we’re facing, is for us to have a much bigger faith than that of our fear. After all, isn’t the season all about the love of our Father for us?”
MALOU CRISOLOGO
“If God permits, I want my family to go on an outdoor vacation (beach, hiking or somewhere where there’s open space and we can breathe some fresh air) in Sagada, Batangas or Palawan. I want to be somewhere where we can freely commune with nature and thank our Maker because we’re alive and healthy.
“I do not want to spend Christmas with a big crowd. I’m still very cautious. What’s more important to me is to be able to find release from the almost two years that we were forced to stay at home and felt suppressed emotionally, psychologically and physically.
“If there is one lesson that this pandemic has taught me, that is to value my family while I am still able to spend time with them, and that what we have now is merely borrowed time.” —Marinel Cruz INQ