The opportunity cost of skipping Christmas parties and reunions because of traffic

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Every Christmas season, Filipinos make the same calculation.

“The party is all the way in Alabang (if you’re a northern) or in Fairview (if you’re from the south), etc. (depending on where you’re coming from).”

“Traffic will be horrible.”

“I’ll just skip this one.”

It sounds practical. Sensible, even.

After all, traffic in the Philippines is not a minor inconvenience but has morphed into a monstrosity. Research shows that long and unpredictable commutes are linked to persistent stress, lower life satisfaction, and reduced enjoyment of leisure time. Unlike many life events that we emotionally adapt to, traffic is a chronic, uncontrollable stressor. It makes us feel trapped and helpless—which is why we dread it so deeply.

So yes, the cost of traffic is real.

But economics teaches us to look beyond the obvious cost—and ask what we are giving up.

The real opportunity cost

Opportunity cost is the value of the next best alternative that we forgo when we make a choice.

When we choose to skip a Christmas party, a family gathering, a homecoming, or any gathering to avoid traffic, the cost is not just gasoline, toll fees or lost hours on Waze.

The real opportunity costs are:

friends or relatives you only see once a year
friends whose lives you haven’t fully caught up with
laughter that happens only when the right people are in the same room
jokes and stories retold, new memories created, relationships renewed

Reunions, in particular, are not just social events. They are relationship maintenance. They remind us where we came from, who has walked with us through different seasons, and how much history we actually share.

You can’t “reschedule” that easily.

Why traffic pushes us to become antisocial

Traffic does more than delay us—it trains us to withdraw. Because it consistently drains our energy and time, we start protecting ourselves by making excuses and saying no. Over time, we become less willing to show up, less inclined to travel, and less connected. Consequently, the people inviting you may also get tired of your no-shows and stop inviting you.

The hidden ROI of showing up

From an economic perspective, relationships are a form of social capital. They don’t depreciate like gadgets or cars—they compound, but only if we keep investing in them.

The return on attending parties and reunions includes:

deeper emotional bonds
a stronger sense of belonging
children seeing family and friendship modeled
a reputation that you can be counted on because you show up
joy that lingers far longer than the inconvenience that preceded it

Traffic fades.

Memories stay.

Making the cost manageable (not invisible)

Being financially and emotionally intelligent does not mean ignoring costs. It means planning for them. Here are some ways to help you brace yourself so you can still attend those gatherings that you deem worthy of investing in.

Prepay the traffic mentally. Assume it will be bad. When expectations are realistic, frustration drops.
Practice time arbitrage. Arrive early. Early moments often lead to the best conversations. If because of other commitments, it’s impossible to be early, come at a later time to avoid the peak of the stressful traffic.
Manage your party time. You don’t have to stay long. Presence matters more than duration. Again, schedule your exit such that you avoid the peak hours.
Redefine productivity. Use the drive for conversation, reflection, a good podcast or playlist. Not all value looks efficient.
Choose selectively but intentionally. You don’t have to attend everything. Just don’t default to “no” because of traffic alone.

The better question

Instead of asking:

“Is it worth the traffic?”

A more High FQ question might be:

“What is the opportunity cost of not being there?”

Because years from now, we rarely remember how long the drive was.

But we do remember who showed up and who didn’t.

Christmas parties and reunions are not obligations. They are opportunities.

And in a season built on connection, the wisest investment may be the one that requires effort—but pays dividends in the heart.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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