Christians keep Xmas celebrations subdued
By I. Christianto
JAKARTA (JP): In keeping with custom, shopping centers have beautified themselves with bright decorations and stores are discounting prices during Christmas and the year-end fair to keep the cash registers ringing.
Even so, the Christmas celebration this year will likely be more subdued due to the economic turmoil, recent riots, including the burning of churches, and continuing student demonstrations.
The crisis has made most Christians -- making up less than 10 percent of the country's 202 million population -- cautious about how they celebrate the holiday.
The wealthy, seen queuing up in long lines at upmarket shopping malls, may still be able to shop till they drop. They can still buy luxurious items and purchase lots of imported foodstuffs at top retailers. They are the minority.
"Prices have gone up. We need to be very careful with our expenses," said J.B. Basuki, an executive. "Christmas presents are not essential, what's important is care and attention.
"We have to understand the current crisis, why it has happened. Perhaps each of us really needs to contemplate."
He has decided to allocate some of his Christmas budget to the less fortunate.
"There is an increasing number of unemployed people out there. We must remember that some people are less fortunate than us."
Basuki said he tried to make his three children understand the celebration of Christmas in Indonesia, particularly as Christmas Eve falls during the Moslem fasting month of Ramadhan.
The council of the Indonesian Federation of Churches has called upon Christians to be respectful of their Moslem neighbors. Celebrations should not be ostentatious to avoid drawing attention to social gaps.
The crisis toll, fueled by the sharp depreciation of the rupiah, is immense. Year-end unemployment is expected to reach 20 million, or 15 percent of the workforce.
Prices of basic commodities have soared and measures taken to meet requirements of the International Monetary Fund's bailout package have often been accused of worsening the situation for the man in the street.
Nancy, a mother of a four-year daughter, sharply cut her expenses for Christmas this year.
"This year I am making the decorations for our Christmas tree by myself to save money. Decorative ribbons now cost Rp 50,000 per pack. I only spent less than Rp 10,000 for the materials to create the same decorations."
She said her family was pleased with her creations. "It takes times, but I feel so happy."
Filip, a psychology student, said he would celebrate Christmas with his family in a traditional way.
"In a crisis or not, we never shop for gifts or eat out or something like that. We are a simple family. We just decorate the same Christmas tree yearly and go to church on Christmas Eve."
Elizabeth Deo, a mother of three, is not buying presents for her family this year. Christmas should be about simplicity, she said. "Thankfully, my children are already grown up. Besides, Christmas is not about glamor."