鄧永鏘（DavidTang）中國會、上海灘創辦人
ThecommercializationofChristmasisgettingonmynerves.WhereverIgo,whetheritisHongKongorLondonorNewYork,crowdsofpeopleshufflealongthestreetsandmeanderinandoutofshops,ladenwithshoppingbags,lookinganxiousbecausetheystilldonotknowiftheyhadboughtallthepresentstheyneed,andwreckingtheirbrainstoseeiftheycouldbefurtherinspiredtogettherightgiftsfortherightpersons,andusuallyendingwithabrickwallintheirhead,andsettlingforthingswhicharemeaninglessandpointlessandfruitless,andallofwhichwouldalmostcertainlybedestinedforstorageandconsignedtooblivionafterthetwelvedaysofChristmas.Onemightwellaskwhatisthepointofalltheseanxiousandbusymoments?Theanswerseemstobealudicrousone:togetallthosepresentswrappedandputundertheChristmastree,sothatonChristmasmorning,everyonecanpretendtobeexcitedandonebyonewouldopentheirlots.Whatawasteoftimeandmoney!Justimaginetheprocessofitall-thetrafficjams,allthescouringandwaitinginshops,spendinginessentialmoney,usingthecreditlimitontheplastictopurchasethingswhichonewouldnotnormallyconsiderbuying,gettinghomelatebecauseofthehundredsandthousandsofotherswhoareinthesameboat,feelingexhaustedfromtickingoffalonglistofthings-to-doandthings-to-buy,andduringallthistime,listeningorhearingcarolsbeingsunginthebackground,withtuneswhichtendtodriveoneinsane,andbumpingintoglisteningtreeswithsparklinglightswhichweallknowaremadeofplasticandmadeinChinaandputtogethermostprobablybychildlabour.Theextralights,millionsofthem,wouldbringaboutextracarbonoutput.Butbecauseit'sChristmas,nobodybothersordarestocriticize.ItisthetimeoftheyearwhenthehumbugsorScroogesaresilencedasparty-poopers.Sonotsomuch"SilentNight"as"SilentScrooge"!
Yet,thereisaperfectlygoodreasonforcelebratingChristmas-oneforwhichnopresentsnortreesnorcarols,normistletoesnorturkeynorparty-gamesarerequired.ItisthesimplecommemorationofthebirthofJesusChrist.Whatreallygetsmeisthefactthatpagansoratheistsoragonistsjumponthebangwagonandbehaveasiftheyarequalifiedinsomewaytoparticipateinthecelebration.Thetruth,however,isthatnoneofthemhaslocusstandi.ThebirthdayofChrististotallyirrelevanttothem.Onthecontrary,somenon-believerspositivelyderidetheexistenceofthesonofGod.SoitisextraordinaryhowtheyshouldbecelebratingChristmasatall.
InHongKong,Iampositivelysickofalltheplasticdecorationsandvulgardisplaysofcommercialese.TheseasonaltreeinCentralisusuallysoghastlythatIamreducedtohavingtowritetotheSCMPinordertoremindreadershowghastlyitis.TheplasticmangerIsawlastyearwasalmostgrotesque.IfanyoneneedstorememberthebirthofChrist,theyonlyhavetoreadtheBible.Theycertainlywouldnotwanttolearnanythingfromalltheappalling"recreation"oftheconditionsofthebirthofChrist.Thewholeexercise,costingtensofthousandsifnothundredsofthousands,issodevoidofreligionandcultureandmeaningthatwecitizensmightbeforgivenforbelievingthattheTourismBoardisamasochisticinstitution.Thankfully,therearethousandsofFilipinosinCentral,onholiday,whogotochurchandfillthepews.Atleasttheyarebelievers,andtheyhaveeveryreasontocelebrate.
Forme,thereislittledoubtthatthereligiousdimensionofChristmasistheonlyaspectoftheholidaysworthnoticing,worthcelebrating,worthenjoyingandworthwhile.IfIhadanysayinthematter,IwouldsayonlyChristiansshouldcelebrateChristmas.It'snodifferentfromsayingthatonlyMuslimsshouldcelebrateRamadan;orJewsYumKappur;oronlyChineseshouldcelebrateChineseNewYear.Nothingoddaboutanyofthese-sowhyshouldnon-ChristianshavetheexcusetocelebrateChristmas?Ifwesticktothisprinciple,thenatleasthalfthecommercializationofChristmaswouldbecut.Thatwouldbesucharelief.IabsolutelyabhortheChristmasrushandallthepretenceofgoodwillandtheutterwasteofenergiesandresourcesandmoneysand,ohyes,Christmascards!CanyouimagineallofthosetreeswhichhavetofallandpulpedintomakingmillionsofChristmascards?SomepeoplebelievethattheChristmascardisagreatwayofkeepingintouchwithdistantfriends.Isay,iftheyaredistant,whymakethisfeebleeffort?Writingaletterornotewouldbemuchmoremeaningful.Indeed,aChristmascardisalmostdesignedforpeopletobelazy,asnothingotherthanone'snameneedstobeputinside.AndIreceivesomanycardswherethesignatureisnotevengenuine,butstamped.MrDicksonPoonisagreatoneforthat!Thesereallyaretheawfulandpointlessones!ItissadindeedthatChristmashasbecomesovulgarizedbythemodernman.
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