My childhood was not all that rosy but I was lucky to choose some of the things I wanted and how I wanted it myself because I never lived with my parents as I was brought up by grandmother.
Living with this woman was amazing. I choose what I wear for Christmas, where we travel to for Christmas celebration, our departure and arrival time, when I grow up to a point I decide what we cook for Christmas and handle the kitchen all through that day.
See ehnn, my choice of clothes for Christmas were usually open because my dad would always send money to grandma to buy me beautiful clothes. Usually in the first week of December, the old woman would take me to Ogunpa, a local market in Ibadan to buy my Christmas dress.
Looking back now, I knew in my mind that despite having to buy what I wanted for myself in a Christmas dress, I always ended up choosing what some other children were rejecting. As an African child celebrating Christmas, you know those big oversized ready to wear dresses that come with a hat and bag right? That is what your sister would always choose and my grandmother would gladly pay.
The only time I bought a cloth I do not like for Christmas was this particular year my dad took it upon himself to buy my Christmas things himself. As such a high tastes man!. He bought this lovely exact size lemon two piece suit of a skirt and a jacket with high quality nude expensive sandals with it.
Come and see the anger in me when these things were delivered to our house. Hummm it was not a small case o. My grandmother had to start begging me to please manage what my dad sent so I would not seem like an ingreat, she also promised to buy one of my usual oversized ready made dress with cap and bag for me immediately after Christmas so I can wear it for new year celebration. It was only then that I agreed to wear those beautiful suits.
Looking back now, that rejected suit was actually one of the best Christmas clothes I got while growing up but my naive mind made me see it as something not in vogue back then.
All images belongs to me.
