Christmas: A Day of Celebration

The Culture of Christmas, as a day for celebration is not new to mankind. On this day 25^th December, billions of Christians and indeed non-Christians join in the annual celebration to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.


  
Across lands, countries and continents on earth, Christmas is celebrated in a unique, yet extravagant way with gift sharing and cooking of traditional cuisines, decorating Christmas tree, attending mass prevalent on that day. In many countries, however, the Christmas eve is the main focus for a lot of people rather than the actual day of Christmas with activities including get-together, parties and carols. Many Christian groups reject the celebration entirely citing some connections with pagan traditions.

Christmas as a celebration evolved over the span of two millennia into what is now a worldwide sacred religious and secular celebration (like Halloween), cultural and commercial phenomena, incorporating many pre-Christian and pagan traditions into the festivities through time. The actual date and month of the birth of Jesus are unknown, but by early-to-mid 4th century AD, the Western Christian Church (Primarily the Roman Catholic Church) had celebration of his birth on 25^th December, and later adopted by the Eastern Orthodox Church. Most people celebrating Christmas today do so on 25^th December in the Gregorian Calendar, adopted almost Universally in the civil calendars used in most countries throughout the world.

John Dough; Flickr

The way Christmas is celebrated is different from place to place around the world. In Nigeria, Christmas is considered a family event. During this period, people living outside their regions travel home to celebrate and have fun. This period, witnesses a max exodus of people, especially from the cities to the villages to see older relatives and extended family members.

“Happy Christmas” is heard wished in different languages, for example: “Ekeresimesi Oma” in Igbo; “barka da kirismati” in Hausa; “E ku odun, e ku iye’dun” in Yoruba; “Idara ukapade isua” in Ibibio.

Families rich and poor are accustomed to the culture of preparing delicious dishes, with turkey, beef, goat, ram and pig meats used to cook the dishes. Popular dishes include Rice with stew source or local palm oil source known as Ofe-Akwu or Banga soup in, jollof or fried rice garnished with fried fish and chicken, Pepper soups of different kinds, pounded yam, vegetable salad, Ukwa with stock, dry and roasted fish, Abacha known as African salad and many more. Palm wine is served to compliment the dishes.

In Eastern Nigeria, Christmas is celebrated with the colourful display of Mmanwu Masquerades. Adults, Youth and children pour into the street to hand out with and watch the masquerades and dance groups. Children are seen playing with firecrackers popularly known as “knockout”. Parents, take their children to visit other families in their kindred having been away for a long time.

Women who are part of the extended family come together to cook the dishes while the men sit together to drink and welcome visitors. The women can often be heard singing and dancing together while preparing the dishes.

The festive period falls during the period on harmattan marked with
cold and dryness, and is the best time to be in Africa, a continent with rich cultural heritage and diversity. 

As it's this time of the year again, take good time to explore the awesomeness of the period. You may not be a Christian or even believe in Christmas, but don't be left out in the fun the period has to offer. 

From me to you, a very blessed Christmas.