village or city christmas? Which way to go

I go with the city BY BRIAN KIMENYI As a young boy, Christmas in the village was something I always looked up to. That’s the time I got to travel long distances, see hills and valleys and of course farms and some wild life. My grandparents were more than happy to learn of our coming. They prepared the best meals and slaughtered bulls on Christmas, such that we enjoy our time there. Do I miss this? No, I don’t think I could endure spending my Christmas in the village. In fact I think it’s the best way to ruin my Christmas. I this town, I have a number of things to catch up on and enjoy.- Most of my friends and some of my family members are town dwellers. I love it when I visit those old lads in town but really, I wouldn’t want to visit them while my mind is imagining what fun I’m missing in town. When we had Christmas in the village, we returned back to Kigali and later that night; our parents would catch up with their friends and celebrate the birth of Jesus in all ways possible. Tired as donkeys because of the journey to and from the village and the games we played there, we tried to fight off sleep without success and later dragged our tired bodies to bed. The next day, we’d recap on the fun we had and the people we met in the village. But little did we know that our parents made us go to the village, first to catch up with some of the relatives that we’ve not seen in a while and second to see how their parents- our grandparents are faring. Now most of those relatives we’ve known already and a big number of them live in town, not forgetting the fact that our parents also live in town. I think I’d rather reserve one day of the year to visit my grannies other than spending my precious Christmas holidays in the village yet I know where people are celebrating Christmas perfectly. If it’s about catching up with family, Kigali is the perfect place. As a family you’d decide to meet at one of the family member’s place and eat some home cooked food while enjoying some cold soft drinks and beer. The kids would even love it better staying in town for Christmas as most of their friends stay in town. Taking them to parties in places where many kids have converged would be much fun and it also gives you the chance to go catch up with some friends. Being the town Kigali is, some of us will have to work on Christmas. There are jobs that you can’t afford to leave just because it’s Christmas. Such jobs often give you half the day off, I wouldn’t advise a friend to make the decision of going to the village after work, putting in mind the stress and off the journey and the fact that the next day work might be calling again. Talking about fun, which Christmas and the festive season are about, I can’t point out anything interesting in the village. In town you only have to decide what you want to do on Christmas and you get it. For those of us who’d love going out on Christmas, there are always concerts and night clubs waiting to give the touch of the festive season. You can take your family for one of those concerts that feature prominent musicians from Rwanda and visiting artists. Town is my place for Christmas!bryok14@yahoo.com village is my thing BY LILLIAN NAKAYIMA My heart throbs whenever I think of Christmas in the village. Indeed experiences worth remembering. For a million times, I cherish my childhood village Christmas and if wishes were horses, I would settle for the beautiful vibrant Christmas of 1995. I don’t blame people who jam buses to go celebrate Christmas in their respective villages. A village Christmas is unmistakably the best. Speaking of re-union, a village Christmas avails that. Ever remember playing with all your little cousins as a kid? Well, in the African setting, everyone, with a few exceptions were born in the village. People joined the city later, either to attend school or make a living. Obviously, the rest of the family; grand parents, cousins, still reside in the village. Getting back to one’s roots on Christmas is meaningful than the clubs and fireworks in the city. And to people who appreciate nature, they will use any slight chance they get to visit the village. Given the fact that Christmas is a mega holiday, inhaling that cool breeze and resting from all the car hoots, polluted air and the congestion in town is not a crime. In the village, it’s all natural, beautiful and simple. Who ever recalls that natural Christmas tree? Adventuring to the nearby forest to get that Christmas tree at no cost was penniless. Decorating it with balloons, sweets, natural flowers and Christmas cards also saved us the trouble of loitering around town in search of ideal decorations. Speaking of a village Christmas church service, it’s incomparable to the cities’. People are dressed to impress, even if the dress is worn out provided it’s their best. And as the day’s preacher commences, his message is valued. On the contrary, Christmas in town is about drinking, no spiritual affiliation. Imagine celebrating Jesus, the savior’s birthday with a drink, which blasphemy is better than that?Ever need words of wisdom? Try Christmas in the village. The elders will give all the interesting details about respect, earning wealth, choosing partners, the list is endless. Meanwhile, you might end up making terrible mistakes in town, all in the name of ‘celebrating Christmas like the others’ who are perverts. And who tells you people in the village never enjoy? If it’s the meal, all that is done on Christmas Eve is cooking. Of late, people leave towns to go camping on Christmas. They fully take the necessary requirements. Music systems, goats to roast, video games, and so on. All these provide the ideal city Christmas but in a better setting. Most of all, its best to appreciate and accept who we are {Africans}.Importing the Western culture on Christmas celebrations doesn’t make us different. We all know we need to always remember and embrace our rich traditions. The best way to start is by celebrating Christmas in the village. lillianean@yahoo.com