BASTARDIZED

BASTARDIZED
Dec. 21, 1993

As I walk around the village early after supper I noticed the different colorful Christmas decorations. All is colorful and bight but 85% projects the modern or bastardized version of Christmas. Snows, rein deers, Santa Clauses are more common. Even the lanterns are the more expensive ones. There are few 'Belens' and the traditional 'parols' are almost none existence.

Our neighbor who just moved in two months ago is quite excited: Complete with 'kapis' lanterns hanging on the big fire tree in front of the house. With the lanterns are multi-colored twinkling lights in rhythm with the Christmas carols that play continuously. Over the fence are few replicas of the London Honor guards, guarding a crib complete with hay minus Baby Jesus. Behind the fence, on the wall, hang the expensively embroidered three kings. Near the entrance door is a very big Christmas tree.

The other house at the corner is even more glamorous. Giant poinsettias, life sized Santa Clause climbing a ladder to the roof, a decorated bicycle overloaded with gift packages, multi-colored lights everywhere. But where are the angels and Jesus, the Christmas celebrants?

At the other corner next block is a semi abstract painting of the manger. Bright and colorful but blurred. There is another corner house; a few blocks away, where all the trees around are showering with million lights. There are giant lanterns and giant porcelain temple dogs at the windows but I couldn’t find Jesus. There is a garden decorated with the drama of Jesus’ birth but what are Santa and Rudolf doing there?

I was touched by another big corner house with the tableau of the Holy Family complete with the animals, the angels and the three kings.
Our outside decoration consists of a basket full of plastic fruits and scalloping white lights. It is balanced on the opposite side by a rectangular brown cardboard vertically arranged. White Christmas bulbs surround it. The whole rectangular board is full of multi-colored folded stars and flowers.

A few houses are not decorated with anything. They must have a good reason why they don’t show colors and lights. Christmas must be in their hearts but they look like dark clouds on starry skies. I wonder if there were also dark clouds during the first Christmas. But I am sure it was bight.