Christmas is known as a season of giving gift generally. Although the essence of Christmas goes beyond the gift in Christian faith. It's about the birth of Jesus Christ.
Ever since I was growing up, I remember how beautiful Christmas has always been. There's a lot of gift-giving and receiving going on, though a lot has changed due to changes in time, needs, and the strive to lead a good life. Regardless, Christmas remain a day that I love to celebrate.
I remember when I was still 8 years old, Mama used to buy separate clothes for Christmas and New Year. Whenever I realize that she has bought mine, my ego rises, and I develop some excitement.
She used to travel a month before Christmas, and I am sure of getting the gift of clothes whenever she comes back. When I was 8, she came back, and I rushed in to bring out the exam results I got from school to show her. I showed her gladly because I did well and was expecting my reward. I was amazed; she showed me the clothes, a pair of shoes, and a looking glass.
When I was 17, I wished I could go back to 8 again, but it did not work out.
I got a lot of good memories about Christmas when I was very young, and that has formed the basis of my excitement whenever it is Christmas. As adults, we learn to contain excitement, and now things are a bit different from how they used to be then.
The 2024 Christmas is very exciting to me. Not really different from the other ones because I also received gifts. I was not expecting any gifts because I did not have a very attractive lifestyle, so I was not expecting anything. It was a few days before Christmas when my eldest sister called me. I was not expecting it because we spoke two weeks earlier before then, and she sent me some money.
I am finding it difficult to get a job after my NYSC with no money-making skills acquired before now, and I could not do a lot of things, and it was already affecting my mental strength at the time.
On that very day, she called me and requested for my account details. I sent my account details and I was waiting. I did not receive any thing so I was a bit worried but not too worried because she has done it recently so I believe that she would dok something again.
I received the money the next day and I was happy. I got some foodstuff and it began to get sweeter. Before the week ran out, I got another call from another sister of mine who requested for my account details. I was excited.
How do I describe the excitement that you will understand? Let me say it this way, like my nakedness was covered. I was so happy.
I got the foodstuff I needed for Christmas. Fast forward to Christmas day. I was indoor thinking about to me other things, I thought I was over thinking things so I decided to step out of my shell.
I was going down through the stairs when one of my neighbours called me and wished me a Merry Christmas with a big smile and my face I responded and faced where I was going. I was lucky to step out at the right time.
The most exciting thing is that I was presented meals and drinks by my neighbor. I was happy, but at a point I had to look back and make a decision for the future because I don’t appreciate my financial status at the moment, and I am willing to become better this year than last year and do better, take better risks, calculate ones, and make the next Christmas a better one. Be the giver even if I will receive from others. Things have changed but I was happy on Christmas day.
Thank you for reading and this is my entry for the Hive-naija weekly post.