Fun Fact: Did you know there's a difference between Joy and Happiness? HAPPINESS is what you feel when something good happens to you, whereas JOY is something you have whether your life is good or bad, it's an indescribable feeling. Source
What a day it's been, singing and laughing with a little home-made drama thrown in for good measure. It's Christmas, and we spent it at our hometown this year. We haven't visited in over ten years, since my dear grandparents passed on. The major reason is that every year around Christmas, the well-known terrorist group Boko-Haram performs a looting raid in my Village, and, now you're probably asking why we went knowing it may be dangerous. Truth is that as a family, we acted on faith and knowledge of increased security, which is owing to local vigilante groups working with the Nigerian army.
So, have you ever wondered how Nigerians spend Christmas especially down North, in a rural setting with little or no electricity and poor network connection? This is how😂
We begin our day with devotion and traditional incense burning, which perfumes the entire house and introduces what we now refer to as Positive vibes. Following that, we begin the day's primary activity, COOKING.😅
If you've not read my post on our special Nigerian Jollof rice, then click Here for recipe, because that's Christmas to the locals, just like Birthdays, after wishing the celebrant, what follows next is a plate of Special Jollof rice😋.
Christmas in the village is not like Christmas in the city. While the city has all the luxuries and jingle bells ringing, the village is all about people and a huge pot of food, especially for the elderly. In the city, we would use gas cookers, but in my village, our grandmothers prefer to use firewood because they believe it gives meals a richer and more distinct flavor. To be honest, I think they're right.🤣
We do provide snacks and sweets in the bundle, such as chin-chin and cookies, which are all handmade with flour, and are accompanied by drinks like zobo or kunun zaki (this time around, we the kids protested and opted for bottled drinks, hygiene wise).
We spent 3 days baking cookies, frying chin-chin and meat and on Christmas day we made Jollof which we then packaged in food warmers to distribute to relatives and well wishers.
I must admit that this Christmas was really hectic, but just before we got the chance to complain , something amazing happened, some lovely locals came over to assist in distributing the packages which was timely cause I probably would've passed out flat on the ground...pheew😅
Another thoughtful and inspiring thing my mother did was to pick up two of the big blue food-coolers, disposable plates, and drinks to share with the local vigilante groups and security personnel who were on duty at their duty posts and would miss spending Christmas with their families because they were busy protecting our lives and properties. Wow, salute!
I believe the SONG we kept playing on repeat kept us going throughout the day. It was a joyous, festive Christmas well spent, and we are grateful for the opportunity to visit the village this year. All in honor of our grandparents, who continued to do so over the years, and now we have the opportunity to do the same.😊
❓How did you spend Christmas today? I would love to read about your day in the comment section😊
🐠Please if you're a Newbie/Redfish like me, I'd really love for us to connect & become friends🤗
Thank you so much for stopping by💐
My gratitude to the 
Until Next Post, Hive, Vibe & Be Lucky🍀
(Image source: Owned)