Finding the Christmas spirit—even in holiday traffic

Every December, Metro Manila gears up for the familiar holiday rush: fuller roads, slower drives, and the chorus of horns echoing the season's peak energy.

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Holiday traffic may test our patience, but this time of year also reminds us of what makes Christmas uniquely Filipino—our ability to bring warmth, cheer, and generosity into even the most challenging situations.

Yes, the congestion is predictable. Year after year, we brace for it, and year after year, it seems to grow tougher. Payday weekends merge with bonus season, malls brim with shoppers, and deliveries multiply by the hour. None of this comes as a surprise. And yet, our traffic responses still feel reactive—quick fixes rolled out like holiday decorations, just in time for the rush but never lasting long enough to create real change.