As the country officially pauses to celebrate today’s climax of the Advent season, we extend our wishes to everyone, even those who don’t really deserve it, for a happy Christmas. We wish that those whose positions in life oblige them to work hard and selflessly — oftentimes with very little thanks and even unwarranted censure — for the benefit of the less fortunate may take heart in the merit that is attached to going beyond the call of duty. We wish that those who didn’t work as hard, for whatever reason, may take heart in the fact that once there’s life there’s hope… for change.

We know that there are those who may not be able to have what they consider the ideal day today.

To them, we say, rethink your priorities, thank God for what you have and continue to pray and work to achieve what you need.

As for the many who are blessed with the physical and mental capacities to enjoy their Christmas Day ideals, we say spare a thought for the many, many less fortunate who can’t. There are many little things you can do to enhance someone else’s day. Many are languishing in hospitals and other places of charity. Find a way to translate a bit of good cheer to at least one of them.

To those who are worrying about losing their jobs next year, we say calm down and refocus on a new plan.

To those who feel secure in their employment, we say good for you, don’t get complacent. For complacency is a killer that strikes without warning and takes no prisoners. It cajoles us into feeling that all is well until an objective observation from the periphery jolts us into the realisation that we have been wallowing in untenable situations that are a discredit to all we purport to do. Only then do we begin to jump around in a frenzy to do that which should have been taken care of ages prior.

Some names jump readily to mind here, but we will not call them today. Rather, we will build on the positives, however contrived, that are to be found in the Government’s latest tweak to what appears to us to have been an ill-conceived tax package.

We will give thanks for the fact that someone in Government has acknowledged that there are other alternatives to taxing basic food items which the many marginalised in our society can barely afford in the first place.

According to Wednesday’s edition, Government will raise some $542 million from taxes on luxury items including jewellery, television sets exceeding 32 inches, shotguns and shotgun cartridges, jet skis and pleasure boats.

Taxes will also be raised from a $4,000 per annum increase in motor vehicle licence fees for luxury vehicles with an engine capacity of 3000 cc and above.

We wonder at this overnight revelation.

Still, the more important issue for consideration must be the appropriate balance to be struck between the well-being of our collective spirit as a nation in crisis and the employment of the resources that are available to us.

On that score there is much to be derived by way of instruction from the spirit that Christmas represents, namely peace and goodwill to ALL men.