The Christmas season may be many things for many people, but for a big majority, well at least the Filipinos, it is mostly about coming home. This time of year is when the airports, seaports, and bus terminals are packed with pilgrims making their way back home.

A few days before Christmas, as my own family was busy packing bags and gifts for our trip to Manila, where we spend a part of the holidays as a part of the marriage contract, the news featured the troubles of travelers who had flocked to the airports and were languishing because they had missed their flights due to the terrible holiday traffic. According to their report, the numbers of those who had missed their flights that night were enough to fill a plane, and the people who were now “chance passengers” couldn't get any guaranteed flights to their destinations until January and had no choice but to either wait it out or keep coming back to the airport to get a shot at those seats weren't taken because of last-minute cancellations or more late comers.

One of those interviewed was an OFW who was coming home for the first time after years of separation from his family but had been unlucky enough to miss his domestic flight home. He was camping out at the airport trying to get a flight home, and from the looks of it, he would be spending quite a few more hours waiting and hoping that he doesn't get to spend his first Christmas back home in the airport terminal, still holding on to the priority number that will allow him to get the next available seat home.

While Christmas should be about celebrating the coming of Jesus, and while many of us do acknowledge that with a short prayer or a though during our numerous meals and reunions during the holidays, we cannot deny that a big emphasis on the Christmas holidays is placed on family. Families get together during this time, with family members doing their best to be able to get home, even if they come from the furthest corners of the globe, even if only through the magic of the internet and webcams, or through a simple text message or even a videocall. For those who belong to families where the kids have already grown up and begun to live their own separate lives, there is nothing like spending Christmas together again, even if it means that the family dining table which used to comfortably seat 6 can no longer hold the entire, growing extended family of grandparents, children, in-laws, and grandchildren.

I guess Jesus, the real reason for the season, can't be all that sad to see his name being mentioned just a few times, possibly just in the prayer before meals or in the mass that comes before or after the feasts, as reunited families engage in conversation, laugh, share private jokes, reminisce on the good times, and gorge on special family recipes. After all, I am sure that when he sees how so much unconditional love is going around the table, it would be enough to bring a smile to his face. After all, if he came to earth live as one of us, and to suffer and die for our sins, I'm pretty sure that He would be glad to witness so many happy gatherings being celebrated as His people celebrate his becoming one like us.

Anyone who has been away from home and has been through the challenges of finding the ways and means to be home for Christmas will understand just how it feels to finally make your way home and see everyone you hold dear together and happy. The food and gifts would be just gravy. My guess is if we want to know what coming home to our Lord and Savior, who is the reason why we have Christmas in the first place, feels like, it would be taking the anticipation, joy, and sense of oneness that we feel when we celebrate Christmas with our family and multiply it a few hundred million times. That should give us one more reason to enjoy this Christmas season and the future Christmas seasons to come.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.