Christmas has always been a busy and exciting season for me, the kind where preparations start days before the 25th. Normally, we would buy ingredients ahead, marinate chicken for barbecue, sort out peppers for jollof rice, and plan soups and pounded yam for the celebrations. The morning of Christmas usually meant waking up early to the smell of food, movement in the kitchen, laughter here and there, and that familiar feeling that the day was special.
But this Christmas felt very different.
There were no preparations, no food plans, no movement, nothing that made it feel like Christmas. I didn’t buy anything new, I didn’t go out, I didn't make my hair, and I didn’t even have the excitement to think about it. Not because I suddenly stopped caring, but because life simply didn’t go as planned this time.
Most of the money I had saved for the festive period went into paying my brother’s school fees and some other necessary expenses. By the time everything was sorted out, there was almost nothing left for myself. No outing, no mall trips, no cinema, no meetups with friends, just me at home.
To make things worse, we had a serious electricity issue in my area. For days, more than a week, there was no light. My phone was dead most of the time, the house was quiet, and the whole day just felt slow and empty. I spent most of Christmas indoors, sleeping, thinking, and honestly, feeling a bit frustrated that nothing turned out the way I imagined.
Yet, in the middle of all that stillness, I found something I didn’t plan for, quiet reflection.
I realized that sometimes, life pauses us in ways we don’t expect. Not every Christmas will be loud, colorful, or filled with activities. Some years will feel slow, uneventful, even disappointing. But those moments also make us see things differently — gratitude, responsibilities, sacrifice, and the reality of adulthood.
This Christmas wasn’t exciting, and it didn’t come with celebration or noise. But it taught me to sit with silence, appreciate the little I had, and understand that even the quiet seasons have their own meaning.
It may not have been the Christmas I wanted, but it was one that reminded me of growth, priorities, and the weight of real-life responsibilities.