The dying Christmas traditions

BEFORE now, Christians all over the world always looked forward to celebrating Christmas with friends and families as they share and receive gifts, including creating memorable occasions to celebrate the season. These traditions vary from country to country, and from community to community.

Back then, it was common for children to form different groups, rehearse Christmas carol songs in indigenous languages, created masks from cardboard papers, painted them and sold them as they danced round the neighbourhood.

As it were, Christmas celebration is not all about new clothes, new hairdo, rice and chicken, carols, taking children to see Father Christmas, exchanging greeting cards and travelling home to see relations. It is also about family and reunion after being separated for several months.

Some of the traditions had gradually faded out while some have survived even as new ones have emerged. However, there is still no Christmas without colourful fireworks which children love to see even if they had to steal money from their parents to buy some with which they entertain themselves

According to Mrs Stella Awotunde, a teacher, her family while growing up had their Christmas tradition, not much different from those of other families but unique in its own way and remembering those occasions fills her with nostalgia.

“I lived with my grandmother when I was a child. At Christmas, the whole extended family will come to the village and celebrate together. After Christmas day service, we pounded yam with isapa soup, eat, rest.

“Later we played various games amongst ourselves the young ones and we visited friends. At lunch time, we often took food to our neighbours and they gave us money. In the evening, Christmas presents were exchanged,” she said.

According to Mr Olumide Adedayo, a banker, his family’s Christmas tradition was getting the same cloth material for the whole family, for the sake of uniformity; taking food to neighbours and relaxing with his entire family.

According to Mr. Tokunbo Bakare,  a civil servant, “We made masks and sold them; made flutes from pawpaw stalks, bought drums and performed sang carols; this was how we celebrated Christmas. We organised parades and danced through the streets and made money. We called the masks Gareta or Mebo,” he said laughing.

Speaking with Sunday Tribune, Mrs. Oluyemisi Otemade, a retired teacher said “It was a time when all my family members came together in the village to celebrate. We went to church at night on Christmas day to use fireworks. We shared food to all our friends and neighbours and we got money from them. Christmas was fun for us then.”

Recent developments have shown, however, that these traditions have become a thing of the past or are going into extinction. The reason for this is not far-fetched, as civilization and technological advancement have ensured that avenues for coming together during celebrations now include the social media.

More focus has been given to pictures, posts, virtual cards and the like. Less time is being spent with people while status updates has `become the order of the day. In other words, old traditions are making way for new ones and these new ones are becoming media oriented. Door to door carols have given way to television carols. Christmas giveaways on instagram and twitter have shifted the focus from orphanage visitations to self-adulation.

Speaking with Sunday Tribune, Onele Chukwuemeka explains how his family celebrates Christmas today. According to him: “My family celebrates Christmas like most families; we buy new clothes, kill goats or chicken and share it according to the Igbo tradition, drink and meet new friends. We sometimes give to the under-privileged.”

Alabi Victoria explained that she celebrates Christmas with her family, including her extended family. She sees Christmas as an exciting time and spends it with her family. “We all come together at Christmas time, celebrate and play games, its always fun coming together to celebrate the birth of Christ.

“We always go to church for service; a lot of people don’t do that but my family believes it is important to worship God on that day,” she said.

Kema Emina also spoke about his Christmas tradition. She noted that: “I basically celebrate Christmas at home with my family, we go to restaurants, hang out with friends, attend parties and that’s all, no special family tradition.”

According to Chioma Ejiofo, a fashion designer, Christmas day celebrations has always been the same year in year out, Her family goes to church, cook and share with neighbors and spend all day watching movies.

John Dauda, a security man, also has the same story to tell. Christmas to him has always been about new clothes and lots of food.