M

y idea of a perfect Christmas is Home Alone and its New York sequel.

Of course, I do not wish to be left alone, but I do wish to experience the cold crisp air, winter wonderland, toys, carols and, of course, the warmth of the family.

In Bandung, it is possible to feel the cool weather thanks to the December rain, tucked up reading the World'€™s Finest mini-series where Batman and Superman trade cities to fight Luthor and Joker over Christmas and New Year'€™s Eve.

In Muslim-majority Indonesia, there is hardly any Christmas spirit to see on the streets. Indeed, Christmas spirit is hard to define after decades of cynicism paints it as nothing more than a consumer orgy, so I refer to the 1940'€™s Dumbo comic where he returns from the North Pole to spread the Christmas spirit '€” happiness, joy and charity.

Of course, I'€™d also like to see public celebrations of Christmas '€” kids singing Anglo-American Christmas tunes, red and green decorations and Christmas trees.

Unfortunately, in Indonesia this kind of scene is only possible in malls (where everything happens).
In the name of uniqueness, of being out of the ordinary, some malls in Jakarta take on extravagant themes '€” such as a diamond Christmas '€” or anti-Christmas themes like zombies. Their consultants might say that the Santa and family theme is boring and the mall needs to stand out to attract attention.

After all, Christians make up only 10 percent of the market. These consultants, however, forget that the malls are often located in the Chinese-Christian areas instead of the more diverse downtown areas.

A couple of malls in Bandung still haven'€™t even dressed up for Christmas, even though more than half of their visitors celebrate Christmas. More puzzlingly, many mall owners are evangelical Christians who are supposed to take Christmas seriously.

Christmas is above all about family and friends. I agree that Jesus was not born on Dec. 25 and that Christmas Day is the Christian version of the pagan Roman Saturnalia festival, which celebrates the third day after the darkest day of the winter, to maintain hope that winter will pass.

Christmas is really a year-end festival, a celebration of laughs and tears experienced throughout the year and a celebration of the desire to end the year on a high.

Some friends organize Christmas caroling, but sadly we cannot do it like in the West, walking
from home to home. Even if we do it in a gated community, the existence of which is regrettable, or a street where the majority of residents is Christian, there is a good chance that only the maid is in.

So we only sing in homes of uncles and aunties we know, by appointment.

And we travel by car as, we all know, it'€™s inconvenient to walk in any Indonesian city. Still, it'€™s satisfying to sing in English with a smile, to wear silly hats and to spend time together.

Whatever your background, please do not hate Christmas.

If Christmas makes you feel lonely, then try to reach out to others. In this age of instant messaging, I buy dozens of Christmas cards (harder to get them now) so that people have something to put under the Christmas tree. And then I write to old friends asking how they'€™ve been doing this year.

If you feel cynical about Christmas, then realize it'€™s not the fault of others. Christmas is beyond mere consumerism or hypocrisy. It'€™s a time for acceptance and reconciliation. It'€™s a time to make peace, including with yourself, and make things better for yourself and others.

'€” Mario Rustan