FEATURE : The Meaning of Christmas

At the entrance of Nakumatt, the mythical figure of Santa Claus or Father Christmas comes alive, bubbling around, urging you to do walk in and do your Christmas shopping. Not to be outdone, at KCB or Serena Hotel or anywhere else in Kigali, name it, the first things you see while you walk in are a dozen Christmas trees adorned in the dazzling colors of lights and decorations. The image is duplicated all over Kigali. The festive season is knocking on the door, Christmas carols constantly ring in the ear and everybody is looking forward to a time of joy of family and friends, exchanging cards, enjoying delicious food and taking off time to relax. So what does Christmas mean to ordinary people? Is Santa Claus more popular than Jesus Christ whose birth the Christmas celebration is supposed to be about? Or is it because he is a symbol of rampant consumerism and materialism that the business people have invented to benefit from this religious event? Diodgene, a driver, is opposed to lessening the importance of Jesus’ birth and thinks Christmas is a big day because Jesus was a bearer of peace and we need peace in Rwanda. “I will pray and later join my family for a small celebration over chicken, soda.” Richard Umuneza looks forward to Christmas season because it gives him time to be bond with his family members, but thinks Christmas these days has been turned into a commercial bonanza. “It is the time for businesspeople to cash in on people eager to impress those around them with gifts.” He says. “It sought of takes away the religious tone of the day.” Richard’s message scores well with the current binge of spending that everyone is falling all over themselves to do. Joel Gatema, a businessman admits that, yes there is a bit of indulgence in food, and does not mind sharing a piece of roasted goat leg with his friends. “Christmas is also a time of feasting. It is a time of celebrating the birth of our savior” He adds. Many people have different opinions about Christmas. Some people have changed their telephone ring tones to one of the popular Christmas songs or will look to the traditional way of wishing others a merry Christmas through a greeting card. In fact, Christmas is not just a celebration for Christians. Members of other religions also eagerly look forward to the December holiday season. Khalid, a Sudanese employee of the BBC said that during Christmas he goes round to his friend’s places and sort of, you know, have fun with them and participate in the activities, which according to him is really good because it means, they interact although they are from different religions. To others, it is just Xmas! As opposed to Rwanda, which has a much smaller Christmas celebration, in other East African countries, especially Kenya and Uganda, Christmas day is the end of a two to three month roller coaster ride. Lillian Nakato says back in Uganda, November and December are counted in terms of days left to December 25th. “Everybody saves or borrows money and a week to the big day, the towns empty up,” she continues. On Christmas day, you can sleep on a Kampala Street because there is no one let alone a car, in sight.” It is a sort of rural-urban migration. Gideon Kiplagat, a Kenyan expatriate looks forward to traveling to spend the big day with his girlfriend in Nairobi. “I would like to explore the exquisite delights in Lake Bogoria, but I will definitely miss a planned trip with my friends to Kibuye. But I will later join my family in the village.” He goes on that Nairobi is more less the same, with city dwellers scurrying down to original domiciles to slaughter chicken, cows, goats and all kinds of edible delicacies. Emanuel Dushimiyimana, a Kigali resident was not looking forward to an eventful Christmas. “Times are hard. I will just go to church and later invite a few friends for a bottle of Soda.” Many others will look forward to having a drink or two in relaxation. And that will be it. Ends