The Evolving Spirit of Christmas: From Feasting to Personal Joy

River Valley Student Editorial Club

Dec 24, 20244 min read

By: Chua Zhen Yu Brian (24J06)

When we come across the word “Christmas”, our first correlation to that word would be the jolly, plump, white-bearded man, Santa Claus. A very, very prominent figure of our childhood—-If I had to say so myself. I would dangle a red-white sock at the marked location before eagerly jumping into my bed every Christmas, with much anticipation for the “gold” that awaits me the following day.

The typical christmas stocking dangling.

My parents told me, “Santa Claus will come when you're asleep.” They made references to some Christmas movies we watched and mentioned that we should be appreciative of Santa because he has to lug around the heavy sack of goodies.

I was in awe of Santa’s dedication to visit millions of homes and repeat the same few actions, simply to fill the children’s joy-meter to the brim. That made me have the belief that he was a hard worker. To top it off, he seems to have a warm personality as well. I really did wish to meet him just once, even if it’s “forbidden”. Be that as it may, I wouldn't be able to receive any presents if I tried that. So I went to bed and drifted off to my wonderland.

If this was the LC passage, wouldn't this be right?

But… imagine waking up ONLY to find your parents tinkering with the sock that you placed JUST for Santa. That was me at 9 years old. I went into detective mode questioning their fishy behaviour. They swiftly played it off and dismissed my thoughts. The following year, they were caught in the SAME situation. But it was much worse. They were shoving the Jenga tower that THEY had bought into the sock. At that moment, I felt like I was thrown a math question. 1 (My parents) + 1 (are Santa Claus) = 2 (YES! It is true!). All those weird behaviors finally added up.

But, I'm afraid not, both paragraphs make up the entire passage.

Though Santa Claus may have been a fantasy, he certainly fed the imagination of many children. However, this raises an interesting question: how did people celebrate Christmas before we got caught up in this modern-day spectacle?

During the Middle Ages in England, Christmas was a grand and community-centered event. It wasn’t just one day of celebration, but a full twelve-day festival. The festivities kicked off on December 25 and continued until Twelfth Night (January 5). This period was marked by massive feasts, music, and revelry. At the height of it all, people would crown a “King of Misrule”—a person chosen to preside over the chaos, often leading mischievous games and playful antics. It was a time for letting go of daily routines to embrace a spirit of wild celebration and indulgence.

The King of Misrule, with great hand-eye coordination.

In this present day and age, it is unlikely that such massive events would occur. However, if you're someone who loves large parties and festive gatherings, there are still ways to bring that energy to Christmas today. Consider hosting a holiday-themed party with friends and family, filled with music, dancing, and festive games—think of it like bringing back a bit of that "King of Misrule" spirit!

You could also set up the Christmas tree and decorations in your homes to reminisce about the yearly winter/ rainy (for us who remain in Singapore) season! Where’s the fun when there is no competition? Vie for the No.1 spot in aesthetics among ur relatives by snapping photos of your Christmas themed homes, and send those photos to your relatives! Another idea is to have a family reunion dinner, and go out to see the big Christmas tree just right outside vivocity! (FYI, it's last showcase is on 31/12, all the more to not miss it!) This way, the focus is on communal celebration, with food, laughter, and cheer to go around.

The magical “snow” in the hot and humid Singapore.

With Santa Claus relegated to the realm of fairy tales, it is a pity that we can no longer be delulu about receiving presents out of the blue. But, the key focus of Christmas is what brings us joy. We can nest in the embrace of our sofa, watching Christmas movies on Netflix, reflect on the year, sip on some bubble tea, or do whatever we enjoy with loved ones. Christmas today doesn’t have to be about large parties or extravagant gatherings.

Sometimes, the most fulfilling way to celebrate is in smaller moments—finding personal joy in whatever feels meaningful to you.

After all, the spirit of Christmas is not just about tradition; it’s about embracing happiness in whatever form it takes, making the season yours.