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A Christmas of safety and generosity

23 Dec 2021

Even though Christmas is the main religious event of the Christian and Catholic communities, it is not at all uncommon for those of other religious beliefs to also celebrate it, and therefore, it would not be wrong to say that tomorrow (25) is a day of celebration for the majority of Sri Lankans.  Like several other national-level celebrations and events, Christmas too faced challenges during the past few years. In 2019, there were concerns about holding large-scale Christmas celebrations owing to the Easter Sunday terror attacks which largely targeted Catholic churches; in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic prompted restrictions on celebrations including Christmas; and this year, Christmas celebrations are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic worsened by the emergence of the Omicron variant as well as the worsening economic crisis. It is in such a context that this year’s Christmas comes. However, with solidarity and vigilance, it is not impossible to manage the challenges this year’s Christmas is facing, and it is the duty of everyone to ensure the wellbeing of everyone. Safety should be at the forefront of this year’s Christmas celebrations. While everyone’s need to meet their loved ones is completely acceptable, especially in these trying times, precautions need to be practised whenever possible. However, precautions should not be limited to wearing facemasks and keeping social distance. Those who organise Christmas celebrations have a duty for the safety of the loved ones they are inviting to such events, to limit as much as possible the number of attendees at a time, and choose settings which are open and spacious. At the same time, great attention needs to be paid to the consumption of liquor, simply because people tend to forget safety precautions when they are under the influence. We should not forget the chaos that celebrating the Sinhala and Tamil New Year carelessly led to early this year. Not only did it cause a surge in Covid-19 cases and related deaths, it also begot a destructive Covid-19 wave. To avoid such a disaster again, which can completely ruin all happiness of celebrating Christmas, adhering to the health authorities guidelines is extremely important.  At the same time, we should not forget that Christmas is as much about sharing and caring as it is about celebrating. The economic crisis is the next challenge this Christmas season is facing. Even though some may be in a position to hold grand parties, we cannot forget about those who do not have the resources to even plan their next meal. However, this is not just about the homeless. Our support needs to be extended to those who did well for themselves before the prevailing crises, and are now destitute. It could be our neighbours, friends, or coworkers, and paying a little attention to their needs this Christmas season would emphasise the true meaning of Christmas, and would make it more meaningful than a party does. Therefore, in this difficult time, let us make it a priority to share what we have, with whomever is in need of support.  At the same time, let us refrain from wasting food and other resources as we have previously. While it is completely unacceptable when there are people who do not have enough, considering the dire situation the country is going through, we have a national duty to procure and use only what we need. If we all take our roles and responsibilities seriously, this year’s Christmas celebration is possible, and would not leave anything to regret.


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