It's the thought that counts... By tamper, D.M.D, R.N Monday - December 29, 2008 10:53am in Dailychex Blog |
How thoughtful. FortMed had given all of its employees a bag of groceries and a box of ham for Christmas. It's only been a few months since I worked for FortMed, Sta.Rosa, and already I felt like I was a part of the company by receiving this gift. Although I don't eat ham, it was a matter of "it's the thought that counts", in relation to the spirit of giving this yuletide season that mattered to me, being the recipient of the seasonal gesture from my employer. I mulled over about what to do with the ham and hastily disposed of it, by giving it to the janitor--who had already received his share of the 'christmas ham' and bag of groceries as well. Well at least I was into the 'spirit of giving' too by doing that ;-)
Just out of the blue, I recalled a marketing bid about ham. It had been touted by a food company as "The Star of the Noche Buena feast". I don't know if much thought was given to that statement because it had so many levels of thought and meaning and generated a whirlwind of ideas in my head. Maybe I think too much about such a trivial statement. Afterall, it just may have been a superficial marketing ploy with no real, deep, inner meaning to it. But the more I repeated saying the phrase in my head, the more I thought about it and its meaning, the more it made me go: "Ah ok...huh? Really?"
I have nothing against ham. It's food for the rest of the world. But it's food, among others, that I don't eat by virtue of religious preference. Unlike staunch vegetarians and 'no to killing animals for meat' extremists, I simply abstain from eating pig--not because of any outlandish bioethical, moral, ecological impact or claims but because of personal conviction. And by saying that the ham is "The Star of the Noche Buena feast", means they've elevated the pig to be the center of the traditional Christmas meal celebration. That without it, Noche Buena wouldn't be the same--or 'special'. Or being a symbol of the the festive celebration of the season. Well, it seems it fits. Afterall, it's where the saying "Let's pig out" came to fruition; a reflection of how hearty the animal eats--and an ironic analogy of what the Christmas festive season means to some.
Not to demean anything or detract any symbolism about ham and Christmas, or what it means, or about saying it's "The Star of the Noche Buena feast" but it's just a matter of my own opinion: who is truly the "Star of the Noche Buena feast"? I think we need to rethink some ideas--or reflect on it. Even if it's just a superficial saying, a traditional symbol, or a trite matter perhaps, sometimes, surprisingly it's those seemingly trivial things that generates a perspective that makes you think through the meaning of the yuletide season ;-)
Just out of the blue, I recalled a marketing bid about ham. It had been touted by a food company as "The Star of the Noche Buena feast". I don't know if much thought was given to that statement because it had so many levels of thought and meaning and generated a whirlwind of ideas in my head. Maybe I think too much about such a trivial statement. Afterall, it just may have been a superficial marketing ploy with no real, deep, inner meaning to it. But the more I repeated saying the phrase in my head, the more I thought about it and its meaning, the more it made me go: "Ah ok...huh? Really?"
I have nothing against ham. It's food for the rest of the world. But it's food, among others, that I don't eat by virtue of religious preference. Unlike staunch vegetarians and 'no to killing animals for meat' extremists, I simply abstain from eating pig--not because of any outlandish bioethical, moral, ecological impact or claims but because of personal conviction. And by saying that the ham is "The Star of the Noche Buena feast", means they've elevated the pig to be the center of the traditional Christmas meal celebration. That without it, Noche Buena wouldn't be the same--or 'special'. Or being a symbol of the the festive celebration of the season. Well, it seems it fits. Afterall, it's where the saying "Let's pig out" came to fruition; a reflection of how hearty the animal eats--and an ironic analogy of what the Christmas festive season means to some.
Not to demean anything or detract any symbolism about ham and Christmas, or what it means, or about saying it's "The Star of the Noche Buena feast" but it's just a matter of my own opinion: who is truly the "Star of the Noche Buena feast"? I think we need to rethink some ideas--or reflect on it. Even if it's just a superficial saying, a traditional symbol, or a trite matter perhaps, sometimes, surprisingly it's those seemingly trivial things that generates a perspective that makes you think through the meaning of the yuletide season ;-)
Modified 12/29/08 11:05am
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