It is the Christmas season, and everyone is already planning how to celebrate this year's Christmas. Some are trying to have a better celebration than last year because last year's celebration was not great, while others had a great celebration, but want a bigger celebration this year. How we celebrated Christmas in my country when I was growing up as kids was that our parents would take us to the market to get us new clothes, which we could only wear on Christmas Day.
Myself and my elder brother grew past this at a very early age. Then, when we were taken to the market to buy our Christmas clothes, we would wear our Christmas clothes either before Christmas or after the celebration was over. My mother has always been a good home manager and will make do efficiently with whatever my father provides. When it came to food, we ate until we were filled, never staying hungry because we had nothing to eat, but instead we had more than enough that we would host our friends to join us to eat whenever we were eating. And in a way, she made us feel like celebrations sometimes are over rated and as such we shouldn’t feel bothered or go beyond our capability just because we want to join everyone to celebrate, we make do of what we have and we move on, whenever there was plenty, we had plenty meat, drinks, small chops and other enjoyable to use celebrate the season, but when there was not much, we thank God for what He has provided and we celebrate accordingly without going out of our way.
It will be foolish to be indebted just to impress during the Christmas celebration; what matters is the state of one's heart with God and the understanding of what the season is meant for. With that context laid out. I would not celebrate this Christmas outside my family because what kind of celebration would that be? I feel I have forgotten the true meaning of the holidays in my pursuit of independence as a man. I would go back home this year and enjoy this time with my family. I would help out in the preparations. I heard my mother reared some poultry, so I would help her cut and prepare it (this way I wouldn’t have my separate budget aside from my family’s). I would sit and talk with my family, my dad, my brothers, and sisters. I would visit my neighbours, share in every detail of the season. From the carol at church, the handing out of gifts to the little children in the community. I would spread love the old-fashioned way. I would bring back that old religion of love in action this Christmas. I wouldn’t go out and waste time and resources on things that do not matter.
Finally, I will take this time to reflect on life and the gift it brings with it. I believe the season brings that feeling naturally.
Thank you for reading. My name is@rishagamo, and this is my response to the Hive Learners weekly Featured Content Week 195 Episode 02: “CELEBRATING ON A BUDGET”.