Venkat Raman
Auckland, December 24, 2021
Do New Zealanders value Christmas or is it considered to be one of the commercial festivals (like Diwali has become), with mere lip service?
This question has been haunting us since long but we decided to put it to test.
We came back with some staggering answers. Here are a few samples.
“Christmas is that time of the year when we look forward to long holidays.”
“Summer sets in, there is fun and laughter everywhere.”
“I like Christmas because this is the only period when I get unrestricted ‘out pass.’ I can go wherever I want, whenever I want.”
Has Christmas descended to such depths that we have lost its true meaning?
Fortunately, it is not so.
Real Significance
While frivolity, ignorance and indifference may prompt some to overlook the real significance of Christmas, a majority of people celebrate the festival in the true spirit of Jesus, Our Father, Our Saviour, unto whom we surrender.
One of the most outstanding aspects of New Zealand is its cosmopolitan approach to life, work and cultural plurality. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of people of varying hue have settled down in this far away land, in the hope of improving their standard of living, providing better educational opportunity for their children and establishing their presence in a society that is considered safe and secure.
More, as a secular country, New Zealand welcomes and respects people of all faiths and religions, providing them equal opportunity to practice them here.
Christmas amidst the pandemic
Although Auckland will remain in Red under the Traffic Lights System governing Covid-19 regulations and restrictions, families and friends will be able to meet and enjoy Christmas Lunch and what would be Christmas Evening and Christmas Dinner.
Bars, Restaurants and other hospitality outlets will also be open, offering the best of their cuisine and drinks to make the festive season special. Having come out of 107 days of lockdown, this sector is poised to do better and offer more employment.
Covid fears loom but thank God
We are thankful to the Lord for the Blessings that have been showered on us in New Zealand, for we are able to celebrate one of the most important observances with families and friends and attend parties, despite the looming fears of Covid-19.
For, very few countries can celebrate Christmas this year without restrictions, while most of the world is in the grip of Coronavirus, forcing some governments to close bars and restaurants and ban large gatherings.
We should be thankful to the government for its efficient management of Covid-19 when it came to our shores earlier this year. We, the Team of Five Million, despite differences over its spread, complied with the lockdown rules and hence were able to prevent wider community spread of the Variants of the disease.
We are not completely free of the Virus- there are still people testing positive in the community, forcing them into self-isolation, managed isolation facilities or hospitals. We hope that the government will remain tough in its resolve to ensure that New Zealand continues to be safe.
Politicians will always be politicians- always wanting to score their own points and hence in times of pandemic, as it is in times of war, we should rally together and do the right things.
Now back to Christmas.
As a newspaper, Indian Newslink has the privilege of being invited to almost every religious or social gathering; that is because, like the average New Zealander, we belong to every class, creed and segment of the society and we are colour blind.
Aucklanders from all over this sprawling conurbation have come to gawp and promenade. Lights fall in curtains from the balconies of the dinky wooden villas, and the unmistakable voice of the late comedian Billy Taitoko James greets people: “I wish you a Maori Christmas.”
And a blast from the north is blowing throughout the country: New Zealanders’ exposure to the international recession is as severe as anywhere else, though their influence is far less. But worries are postponed, and along the cliffs, the Pohutukawa trees, the “New Zealand Christmas tree,” with flowers as red as Santa’s suit, are in bloom. Young boys and girls are out and about, liquor sales are up, the letter boxes are deluged by junk mail and police issue warnings against drunk driving,
Christmas has arrived.
Merry Christmas!
Greetings from Us
Christmas is a time to give, love and promote goodwill and understanding. In the Western world including New Zealand, it is the beginning of the holiday season.
Millions of New Zealanders, irrespective of their otherwise religious and social beliefs, would mark the occasion with gaiety and fun. Christians would of course observe the birth of Christ with piety as well. As streets and buildings wear a colourful look with decorations and lights, it would inaugurate a new era of hope; with hope comes positive attitude and with positive attitude comes the urge to work, which in turn begets prosperity.
We offer our choicest greetings to our advertisers, readers, contributors and well-wishers and wish them Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
The Indian Newslink team
