When I was a kid, I fell in love with someone special. He loved me, and I loved him too, and until today, he has never left me. He composed a popular song for himself since he was born. So, anytime I listen to the song, I feel peace, I become joyful, and I can feel butterflies dancing for joy in my belly.
The sound of his songs comes with a jingle and a soft tone with a slow beat. We sing it as a family, as a church, and as individuals.
Personally, I love the song, the rhythm, the tones, and the atmosphere it creates whenever we sing it because the song is for my lover. Then, as I grew up, more songs were released, filled with joy and happiness every season.
These songs come in special seasons: the season of love and hope. A season that births great wonders. A time that comes once a year and the world celebrates, a season of peace and refreshment.
A time that brings people together, a Christmas season that celebrates my lover, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whose songs always fill my heart with absolute peace, joy, and hope.
The season is here again, the months of all months. I can remember as a kid, whenever we were in the 12th month, I knew that it was time to celebrate Christmas.
My siblings and I always danced to the jingle of the sounds of carol songs, Christmas Eve, and others. We got excited because in my home, it was time to get new items, beautiful clothes, shoes, hairstyles, and lots of goodies.
The season is always refreshing and makes me happy. I still love to listen to new Christmas songs and melodies, even though as an adult, one can't cry to one's parents for Christmas clothes again. Wow!
One of those days, my dad had just bought a new pair of shoes for all of us. It was a few weeks to Christmas. We were all so excited that we eagerly expected the day to come so we could show our friends around the neighbourhood and in church that we had a new item on board, hahaha!
In fact, I went to visit some of my female friends on purpose during the week back then just to get them talking about Christmas clothes, shoes, and other beautiful things their parents got them so I could also brag about my new shiny shoes.
One of them, Christy, said, "My mum got me a new ready-made pink dress, two pairs of shoes, one for church and the other for the party we're going to attend on the evening of Christmas." "Also, my dad got me a new bicycle I have been asking for, another beautiful dress and a Christmas hat too, to tone it down, with a very beautiful handbag, Christmas wristwatch," she said, and the list goes on and on, that I felt so bad.
Of course, I was very jealous because she had rich parents. She even told us that they were moving to the city after Christmas into their newly built house before New Year.
I was happy for her; she's such a lucky girl. I couldn't even say anything about my new shoes because they were nothing compared with what Christy had.
I'm going to miss her though. She has been a nice girl to me and our other little friends, Toyosi and Sheyi.
Toyosi, on the other hand, was not happy as her parents had not gotten anything for her and made no promises either. The fact that she's from a low-income family like myself made me keep my news to myself even more.
While Seyi only got a new pair of shoes like myself while hoping to have new clothes for the joyous celebration. I agreed that not all fingers are equal, so we put them to different use for different purposes as it fits.
I'm still satisfied that I got something from my parents for Christmas and I humbly wish in my heart that every other kid out there gets new things for Christmas as well. That's my little wish!
We had a nice time chatting as children, even though we had not much idea about life. We still played with love, we sang Christmas songs with lots of laughs, and everyone departed to their own house.
Although, I bade Christy a warm farewell because I'm going to miss her so much. As soon as I got home, I told my mum about Christy's gifts from her parents and how they planned to leave our small town for their new house in the city.
"Wow, that's great news, I will visit them before they leave," my mum replied happily. I was about to tell her that I also wanted a new dress for Christmas when my other siblings rushed into the room dancing elatedly with clothes in their hands, then my twin sisters gave me my own. At last, I got a new dress for Christmas.
"It's a gift from Dad," Kenny said as she wore it. I also put on my new dress with the shoes, and not only that, plastic sunglasses that looked very unique and colourful to match with the dress, and we sang and sang until we were exhausted.
Nevertheless, I will always celebrate this day every year, make the most of it, connect and reconnect with family and friends, go shopping, have fun, and enjoy the season while it lasts.
Those songs from childhood still remain in my heart from my lover to you: "I wanna wish you a merry Christmas! I wanna wish you a merry Christmas! I wanna wish you a merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart... Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in advance, everyone!"