WITHIN AND AROUND CHRISTMAS by Prudence Mukiri

in Articles By Mccu Literature on 19 Dec 2024

I grew up wondering why Santa never slid down our chimneys here in Kenya. Sad that he only appeared to the children in the West. At some point, I did conclude that it was because he did not fancy the idea of soiling his red suit with soot. It would just be a matter of time before I found out that this Santa guy was just a fictional character they sold us and had nothing to do with Christmas. I wasn't disappointed; the guy wasn't in my best books anyway.

Christmas meant that I would get to play and laugh with my cousins again. That I would feast on my grandmother's food. She reared chicken, and I was excited at the prospects of enjoying some good protein. The tree she cut from her farm—we'd decorate it with sweets and candies. I, however, always wondered what that tree had to do with the birth of Jesus Christ. I would beg my parents to let me go see her and spend a few weeks at hers. Christmas meant walking around in new clothes and hoping that somehow I hadn't forgotten to pull off the tags. The shimmering lights everywhere fascinated my eyes, almost hypnotizing. The day was always short for some reason, and the ‘back to school’ jingles would hit the waves so soon after, reminding you that your assignments were still sitting in your school bag, untouched.

Now, as an adult, I have experienced almost an entire shift on what it all means to me. The fun waned with age. We are the adults doing all the planning, cooking, and cleaning. It's not as fun as I thought it would be. Every other firstborn daughter would know.

Moreover, I have experienced several dilemmas, especially now that I know that Jesus Christ was definitely not born on the 25th of December. I have gone down rabbit holes that told me how a lot of it was conceived from pagan practices. Should the shimmer on the trees in malls and Santa imagery excite my eyes? Should I still fancy those cliché Christmas movies that have nothing to do with Christ, the reason for the season?

However, if a day has been presented to me when I remember the miracle that is Jesus Christ, then I will meditate on it and rejoice. If on this day families come together and feast, then I will rejoice. I will sing the carols that remind me of the beauty that is the birth of Christ. Jingle all the way.

Prudence Mukiri,
MBChB III.