How I Am Going to Spend this Christmas Holiday

In response toAan Gray's Post

I do not know how this Christmas shall be, but it usually is like this, for as long as I remember.

My Christmas is all about family. My parents may be gone, but that was a long time ago and my family is quite big that it's hard to even realise this.

They left a tradition in which most of their siblings and their children gather with us upcountry for Christmas. The village neighbours are also welcome, so it is usually like a party, only not lavish, but with lots of eating, boozing and merry making.

Christmas is a time when I get to see all the uncles and aunties that I have not seen throughout the year. Being the youngest of my 8 siblings (even though now am not young at all!), I get lots of attention, frankly sometimes it gets too much, because I prefer my life alone at my place.

Christmas typically begins with travelling upcountry. This is one of my best parts. We usually travel in groups, I prefer to travel in the car with the kids, because I love them and they love me. I also know that the eats will flow endlessly [0x1f640]

Just like last year, we shall travel on the 23rd. The journey usually lasts about 7 hours, due to frequent stopping for food and shopping, though it is typically supposed to last 4 hours.

When we arrive at home, usually in the evening at around 5pm, village kids quickly gather and their cheer ushers in the festive mood all around, despite our travel fatigue.

I am usually in charge of the music, so I begin setting up the music system on the verandah the minute I board off. The traditional booze (or 'malwa') is usually ready in pots by the time we arrive.

As I turn on the music, interested parties gather and sit around big pots of booze. I usually throw together a playlist, turn the volume up and go greet everyone, take a bath and eat some more roasted stuff.

The next day is all about cooking, while I decorate the short tree in the compound, next to my late parents. I like to believe that this brings joy to them too, in their resting places.

This tree is not really a Christmas tree, but it works just fine (how I wish I had some of its photos here, but I do not at the moment, sorry).
I like the fact that it never grows taller, it just stays put, waiting for the next Christmas to carry the glorious magic of my decorations.

I am a poor cook, so I do not participate in cooking. I do more of cleaning up the mess, catering to visitors and playing music.

On Christmas day I do not go to church because I already know what is going to be said. I get bored easily.

So while the rest go to Church, I give my makeshift Christmas tree a touch up, prepare the music, and clean myself up. I like wearing trousers, but for Christmas I try to avoid them. This also gives me freedom to stuff my tummy as much as I want.

As the rest return from Church, am usually already stuffed with food (I also do not understand why I overeat whenever I feel festive).

Lunchtime is usually busy for me. I have to engage in serving some of the visitors, while stopping to greet others a few times over.

My next favorite time is barbecue in the evening. The word seems big but its not, its really about preparing your own stick of meat and roasting it by yourself. I usually have my own charcoal stove for this, Its liberating to enjoy a stick that you have roasted without help.

In the night time I resort to mixing dance music the crude way (I am not a Dj incase you were wondering), people dance, enjoy and that's how christmas goes. It is also most likely how this christmas shall be.

'Gloria', a Christmas carol by Philly Lutaaya is the usual favourite.

Gloria

Enjoy your Christmas holiday no matter how it turns out to be.
#BuzzChristmasChallenge