As a little kid in the early 90s, ember months come with this euphoric aura that make me and other kids like myself impatient. I just want the day to come. The same rice, stew, fanta and chicken taste different on Christmas days, every common thing suddenly becomes unusually unique. I won’t forget how much I looked forward to wearing those new clothes, shoes, and sometimes accompanying cap.
Dad goes further to repaint the house, change the wall portraits to something like Virgin Mary carrying Jesus in her arms with Joseph standing by looking at the baby Jesus with enthusiasm. A Christmas tree when affordable, some Santa Claus' toys.
We also have
new music tapes that seemed to have unquestionably or capacity to change the atmosphere. It's either our own Ebenezer Obey singing Keresimesi or Boney M's Felix Navidad. It just has to be a Christmas music, else it’s not a good music.
new music tapes that seemed to have unquestionably or capacity to change the atmosphere. It's either our own Ebenezer Obey singing Keresimesi or Boney M's Felix Navidad. It just has to be a Christmas music, else it’s not a good music.
Schools are closed, shops are stocked, money saved are spent, people travel far and wide. It’s Christmas season, season of merriment.
The preparations lasts longer than the Christmas itself and the seemingly-never-ending preparation makes a child that I used to be feel as if Christmas celebrations last for weeks or months or even forever.
Eventually it's 25th Dec. Music, aroma of jollof rice filtering through the porous air, new clothes stained with soup, stew and coke. I love the kiddies goggles too, static rubber wrist watch was a treasure. We just celebrate till we exhaust the last drop of energy in our bodies. Mum sweats all day, the dining-kitchen traffic is enough to weary anyone. We most times don’t make it to the church due to the volume of what’s to be done to make the celebration fun-filled. We as much as we can until there’s barely space left for our lungs to do its respiratory movements.
Then came Santa, at the edge of victory in stealing the show. My parents once took me to the old UTC to encounter Santa Claus, I remember how they kept encouraging me not to be scared when I get in there to a point where I almost lost my trust in them. My juvenile brain didn’t stop me from wondering why so much encouragement if truly there’s nothing to fear about the Santa. I was so lucky we didn’t get to the venue on time so I missed my slot, though my parents were disappointed.
Thank God for growth, wisdom knowledge and understanding. I’ve really come if age so I think better. But can it be that I’ve had a fair share of the funfair and not really because I now have a brighter view of Christmas? Whatever prompted this view is beneficial to me.
What were we really celebrating?
The birth of Jesus. Seriously? Celebration of the birth of Jesus or commercialization and socialization of the birth of Jesus?
Let me use this opportunity to remind us that Christmas is about God leaving His Throne of Majesty to dwell among us (Jn 1:14). It is the show of His love for humanity. Though He is greater than us, we disobeyed and turned our backs against Him yet He made the reconciliatory move first by giving us His Most Precious Gift (Jesus Christ), thank you Lord.
Christmas symbolizes Heaven on Earth. It is God’s Kingdom come (Isa 9:6).
Christmas has almost being reduced to just nomenclature for funfair. The society has shifted our focus so far away from the essence of Christmas so that what’s left is barely enough to give us a picture of the manger, Mary, Joseph, the eastern Wise Men. I googled "Christmas images" this morning on my phone and to prove me right, 99% of the images are that of Christmas trees, Santa, Christmas light, etc. Barely could I find that of baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
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| Christmas images |
Isn’t this an anomaly?
It calls for celebration for celebration to be meaningful, it need to be memorable but ou please…
Christmas is about Jesus. It’s not about Santa Claus, Christmas tree, partying, new clothes, funfair etc. All these are suppose to be addends to Christmas, not the real Christmas being relegated to the background.
Hallelujah! My Lover, The king is born.
CONFESSION:
Father I thank you for the free gift of salvation you have made available to me and to all those that believe and accept Jesus Christ as the Savior. I am reconciled to you through Christ and there’s no stopping me. I am not an outcast or slave but a bona fide Son. I’m a joint heir through Christ, I have access to Heavenly heritage. Thank you Jesus.
Father I thank you for the free gift of salvation you have made available to me and to all those that believe and accept Jesus Christ as the Savior. I am reconciled to you through Christ and there’s no stopping me. I am not an outcast or slave but a bona fide Son. I’m a joint heir through Christ, I have access to Heavenly heritage. Thank you Jesus.
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