Notes on the "Ber" Months: Why We Can Celebrate Without Guilt
A reflection on the writings of Eusebio Tanicala, Ph.D. regarding Christmas
In the Philippines, we are famous for having the longest Christmas season in the world. As soon as September 1st hits—the start of the "Ber" months—the carols begin playing in the malls and the parols (lanterns) go up.
But I’ve noticed that for many people, this long season also brings a long period of hesitation.
Whether you are "lukewarm" in your faith, looking in from the outside, or even a devout believer, you might have heard the arguments that dampen the holiday spirit: "Christmas is actually a pagan holiday," or "Jesus wasn't actually born in December."
My father, Dr. Eusebio Tanicala, spent years thinking and writing about this. He recently shared some notes on how we can navigate these "Christmas Disconnections," and I think his perspective is exactly what we need to hear right now.
He argues that we don't need to be afraid of the calendar. Instead, we can celebrate wit…
