Christmas and Culture

I was listening to some Christmas music on TV this morning and they were playing this song by Band Aid, 'Do They Know It's Christmas', and there are a couple of lines in the song that makes me laugh and also gets me angry at the same time. The line sang by Will Young & Jamelia, 

And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time

The greatest gift they'll get this year is life

Then followed by  Ms Dynamite & Beverly Knight:

Where nothing ever grows

No rain nor rivers flow

Then by a group of singers, the chorus/refrain!

Do they know it's Christmas time at all?

Blah, blah, blah.

It makes me want to barf!

OK, this is it. I'm from Nigeria, located in the west of Africa, bordered in by Cameroon, Niger, Chad, Benin republic and the Atlantic ocean. There are fifty two countries in Africa and of those quite a couple experience snow during their wintry months and most experience very cold conditions during wintry months. In Nigeria, although you can only find snow on peak mountains, it can get very cold enough to freeze a bucket of water left outside. 

In Nigeria, we have two main seasons, the raining season and the dry season. During the dry season, (which usually spans from late October to late March), we get what we call 'Harmattan', which comes up between November and January. The weather is usually bitter cold .but hot in the afternoon as well. We enjoyed our Christmas this way.

Well, rivers still flow and trees still grow, in abundance, where I come from, and Christmas, well Christmas is celebrated with a lot of gusto. There is food, lots of food, chicken, turkey, you name it, and fireworks and music.

I remember when growing up that it was usually a big deal in my family during the festive season. We usually didn't go to bed on Christmas eve due to all the preparations and excitement. The pots and pans were always on the go, preparing one delicacy or the other. I remember my sister and I loved to lie out and stare at the stars (yep, lots of stars!) while listening to some music. It was all so peaceful and nice.

We usually preferred to attend the Christmas eve mass at church so that we didn't have to attend on Christmas day, and also we got to see all the fireworks afterwards. My parents and the grown ups preferred the more 'classy' day time service on Xmas day without the mob of youngsters (they didn't know what they were missing!). Anyway, we 'the young ones' usually took off come Xmas morn to our friends' homes while our parents entertained guests. Our home was usually open to all that wanted to come (no invitations needed), so we usually got people that had no where to go for the Xmas and people that were less privileged. 

They came, they ate and they were also given 'stuff' to take with them when they left.  We (the young ones), usually got back home towards evening time with our friends and stuffed our mouths with whatever we could fill our plates with, not that we were hungry but just because we just had to taste what had been prepared.

Christmas to us was a time to share, food, drinks, joys, fun, laughter and everything we had. We didn't see as a time for getting gifts but for sharing. Yes, we did get presents but they paled in comparison to what we shared together. I can't even remember any of the things I got for Xmas then but I do remember the times I had together with my family and friends. I remember the smells, the music, the stars and the preparations.

I never knew what I had then, but now that I have been in the UK for many years, I have come to appreciate those times and I have never experienced such care, love, fun, joys and sharing here like we've got back there.

So to those who sing their songs in such ignorance,

Yes they know its Christmas time more than you!

And so that you know, Christmas isn't about snow but about Christ.

Courtesy: Short Steps, Long Steps