If you have ever lived in village, then there are things that must be done to usher in the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Those privileged to have lived in both urban centres and villages will concur Christmas in the rural areas is highly regarded and moire anticipated than in the cities.
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Christmas in the village cannot be complete without decoration of the house. Photo: Kalenjns Online.
Source: Facebook
Tuko.co.ke has gathered a list of six things that enhances Christmas mood in “ocha”.
1. House renovations
In almost every family setting in village, members believe that Jesus Christ is born not only in their hearts but in their compounds and houses as well.
Unlike their colleagues who live in rented houses in town, those in village have made it a culture to renovate their structures a few days prior to Christmas day.
When you happen to tour the villages this season, you are most likely to find those mud-walled houses smeared with new decorations and flowers drawn on them using locally made colors like bananas and expired dry cells.
“We do this to ensure Jesus Christ is born at a clean and safe place,” one of the villagers told Tuko.co.ke.
When the whole community does this, one visiting their family up country to celebrate together feels the real mood of Christmas.
2. Buying of new clothes
Whereas those who live in towns buy clothes at any time and any month, our brothers and sisters in villages rarely buy clothes before Christmas.
A majority will start saving a few coins in pots dug under their beds in preparation for the day.
Putting on new fashionable clothes in the village on Christmas is common. Photo: Mwesh Collections.
Source: Facebook
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If you live in village and you happen to have not bought a Christmas cloth, you will mostly likely feel your festive season was a hell.
In fact, some believe they must buy the latest clothes on fashion to wear on 25th December to complete the feeling.
This is the time village queens will make hairstyles never seen before.
3. Change of diet
There are some kind of food-stuff people in village eat on a day to day basis while others are left to be consumed on Christmas.
For instance, those in town eat mandazi or chapatis everyday while their counterparts in up country eat arrow roots or sweet potatoes.
However, when those in town do away with chapatis, those who do not eat them in village believe their Christmas was incomplete.
Other foods villagers consider a must eat during Christmas day do vary from communities.
For instance those in the Luhya land believe there must be black ugali with chicken while those in Central Kenya feel there must be mokimo and goat meat for them to feel the day was awesome.
For youths and merrymakers, Christmas is a time when they amass funds and prepare local liquor at one central point where they will gather and catch up on village gossip and banter on the Christmas eve.
4. Christmas Carols’ competitions
Christmas celebrations are mainly characterised documenting and celebrating the birth of Jesus.
However, those living in cities rarely have time for such with most of them still going to work even on December 25.
Villagers start practicing singing carols as early as November to ahead of presentation competitions usually done on the Christmas Day.
Several branches of churches put together their best singers, dancers and reciters of scriptures and poems ahead of the competition day where winners carry home different prizes.
5. Must go to church
Just like urban dwellers, there are some old men who will only fellowship on Christmas Day and New Year.
They will do everything to ensure they do not miss church services.
When such people miss the Christmas church service, even if they eat and drink their favourite dishes and to their satisfaction, they will keep lamenting about the celebrations until the next season comes.
6. Meeting long time friends
Some villagers will only meet their long time friends during Christmas.
For instance, if a family has only one of their colleague in the capital city, they expect to meet him/her on the big day.
A file photo William Ruto arriving at a village. In every village, scenes like this are witnessed when a long time friend from the city arrives. Photo: Kalenjins Online.
Source: Facebook
They believe his or her presence will make celebration better because they will receive gifts and goodies when they join them for the festive season.
However, when these people fail to join their families due to some reasons well known to them, their families feel Christmas was incomplete.
Netizens shared their own Christmas experiences:
Story by Enock Ndayala, TUKO Correspondent.
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