Christmas is my best time of the year.  I have noticed that this year, the spirit is higher and the city and some buildings are well decorated. Some time back, to tell it was Christmas (other than the decorations in your own home), you would have to go to the MTN Centre and maybe Union Trade Centre.

But every year, there are the obvious perks: spending time with friends and family, opening gifts and getting away from work. Oh yeah, and celebrating the birth of our Saviour (we can’t forget that now can we?).But beyond the obligatory importance on gratitude and the annual time of reflection it affords, Christmas has come to represent something very strange to our generation. The line between corny and cool becomes so blurred that even the hippest among us could be caught wearing a Christmas themed sweater and fighting back tears while watching a cheesy Santa movie. Therefore with some of the Christmas rituals being so cliché, it ceases being special to some people. So, what does Christmas mean to you? Is it still special or is it just another day? This is what makes Christmas special to me:The lazy Christmas morning and ballistic breakfastNothing beats Christmas morning. I’m sure you have had plenty of wonderful mornings but to me, it doesn’t get better than Christmas morning. I mean what is sweeter than rolling in bed at 6am, looking forward to a decent breakfast (on other days it’s usually coffee and whatever snack is available for me). But Christmas is special…it’s like waking up to a seven course breakfast!GiftsI know some Africans see exchanging gifts as a ‘white man’s thing’ but we have got to style up already! There is nothing ‘muzungu’ about giving a loved one a gift on Christmas. When we were kids, as long as we got to eat ourselves sick, we usually didn’t care about gifts, but things changed. So just in case this point sinks in, Hugo Boss Deep Red, white chocolate and River Island are my preferences when it comes to perfume, candy and clothing departments, respectively.Hanging with familyThere is nothing as precious as waking up on Christmas to some adorable chaos from young nephews and nieces running around, a good Christmas movie on and a mouth watering aroma coming from the kitchen.Christmas musicNow, I am not a seriously religious person but I am a sucker for Christmas carols. Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, Once in Royal David’s City, We Three Kings…are just some of the few that put me in a spirit so high, I could easily jump on a plane to Jerusalem just to prove a point.Christmas moviesI didn’t realise how many random Christmas movies there were in existence. I know some of them can be downright toddlerish but hey, it’s Christmas!There you have it. Now, find what makes Christmas special to you.