Ah, Krizette Laureta Chu, the self-appointed Christmas spirit monitor, wonders why Filipinos aren’t feeling festive. Perhaps she should take a break from declaring herself the spokesperson for an entire nation and realize that Christmas started in the Philippines when we were still trying to figure out if it was too early for Halloween decorations. 

Maybe Chu needs to interview Jose Mari Chan, the unofficial herald of Christmas, to understand that the endless loop of “Christmas in Our Hearts” may have induced a Yuletide fatigue by October. 

It’s not that the holiday cheer is absent; it’s just been beaten into us since the “ber” months began. 

Chu, known for her nuanced insights, should appreciate that the spirit of Christmas might be hiding in the recesses of malls where decorations have been up since September, desperately trying to escape the relentless jingle bells and Santa Clauses that haunt our every waking moment.