Christmas means Celebration. Fried meat, the flavour of jollof rice from aluminum pot, vegetable oil, a very good tin tomato for colour, a good rice brand which must not be over mixed. Christmas is love, kérésìmesì, ọdún dé… the magical part of the most wonderful time of the year and the time for the best gift anyone could ever receive. The world is filled with unsuspected treats on Christmas day, as if Jesus Christ has resurrected, yet Christmas makes one feel so grateful to share life with others and it turned out to be magical because we are all together, everlasting in celebration. Our women are dressed in fascinated outlooks, much more than mere fascination. Men in their clothes can have it baggy, colourful and tasteful, though occasionally one would encounter them formal on Sundays.
I could not understand why but Christmas is full of surprises, while the atmosphere especially in the afternoon, has every house sealed and busy with merriments and devoid of any kind of mystery. Occasionally, every well-wisher dips hands in plates filled with foods. It could be jollof rice or solid foods and should be stepped down by soft drinks. I had not planned today, though I ended up piercing my hands in foods with expectations. A welcoming ebiripo, ewédú and meat truly testify that nothing was wrong, bringing to the awareness that it is Christmas!
But the definition of Christmas is much more about the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Obviously, we celebrate our anatomically designed hero, Jesus Christ. It is a time to stop and express gratitude for the love, joy, and hope that can be found in Jesus—our friend and Savior. We exchange gifts with those we love as a way to honor God’s gift to us in Jesus. The gift that we can hope for the future, are never alone, and are loved.
Dear reader, this Christmas, you too can use prayer to give thanks and praise to God. Thank you prayers for the blessings of joy, love, and hope. This year’s Christmas may look different from years past. It might not live up to your expectations or the commercial images you see. GOD, however, want you to know that the real significance of Christmas is not determined by how many presents you have under your tree or what kind of food is on your table. Whether you are with family, missing loved ones for the first time, or alone at Christmas, the message remains the same. The home you live in or do not live in has no bearing on it.
Merry Christmas to you all, from Seun Sobola!
Seun Sobola holds a first class degree in English, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria. And can be reached through 08101106313/ seun.tobi101@gmail.com
