A DAY AND TIME TO REMEMBER!

 

How was Christmas Day spent in your home?

 Did you get good xmas presents, meals or company? Was it a time to put away all thoughts of writing, editing, reviewing, drafts or publishing? Was it a day to remember the ‘reason for the season’ and put away all thoughts of life issues? Hope it was a day to celebrate our Lord and King; a day to ponder on His love for taking you so far; a day to be most grateful for the salvation package; a day for self-discovery or the miracles in your life; a day spent with friends and family; or a day not to look down at your weaknesses, nor look  at the darkness that life might have thrown over you  or that writing to edit but a day to look up and see the light of God’s Light! Hope it was a day that thoroughly blessed you by the best gift you were given by God –our Lord JESUS!

When I was a child back in the 60s and 70s growing up in Nigeria with my younger siblings, there was the usual Christmas tradition that was practised in our home.   The Christmas season began on the first of December with the hanging up of Christmas cards sent to my parents on strings crossing the corners of the living room and sometimes, extending to the dining room. The mood was set. We spent the days leading to Christmas visiting the Kingsway Store to see Father Christmas in his grotto, decorating our rooms, making nativity boxes, eating chocolates and cakes in excess and listening to xmas records. It was a time of leniency; the cane was temporarily on break and we were in ecstasy and high spirits waiting for December 25^th. It was a time to put up our best behaviours anyway and turn blind sibling rivalry, quibbling and irritations!

   My siblings and I who believed that Father Christmas was real began to guess what presents we would each get.  Before we were seven years old, we got fascinating gifts that little boys and girls  usually get –dolls, trains, building bricks, etc but after that, ‘Father Xmas’ gave us books and educational stuff to help our learning. I remember the globe of the world gift to help my geography when I was 11, a ladybird’s times table book to help with maths, Janet and John books to help with reading, etc. Then as the years moved on, time grew us older, wiser and more discerning. We pretended that we were ignorant   of how our parents stealthily went downstairs to drop our gifts [already secretly seen] under the tree and we faked sleeping when xmas stockings were put at the foot of our beds.  An enjoyable deception game!

 

 

The pregnancy of Xmas Day finally came to its end. 25^th December erupted with our waking up before the dawn had a chance to light the day and before Billy cock’s 6am crow! We ate special breakfast of eggs, sausages and bacons with richly buttered bread and warm Bournvita drinks. We wore new clothes to church and enjoyed looking, listening and singing special xmas songs to the new child born to be the saviour of the world!  Back home, after service, we unwrapped our gifts [with faked awes of oohs and ahhhs] and ate the most special lunch feast of the year!  - Jollof rice, with chunky portions of fried turkey, chicken and meat, garnished with fried plantain and salad. We didn’t drink water; we drank sweet wine or champagne if we wanted to!

Looking back at Christmas Past, once upon time, it was like ‘Christmas in Wonderland’! I clearly remember that ‘O come All Ye Faithful’ was my favourite hymn during the Christmas service because of how the two different choruses were harmonised beautifully together. I still look forward to hearing it sung in church on Christmas Day. I consciously try to make celebrating Christmas in our home magical. Hope you do. Our Lord deserves it!

Well, I hope you have been motivated and inspired to write your own story or poem of a day and time you celebrated the birth of our Lord significantly or a memorable Christmas! Wishing you all a happy and successful writing in 2023! 

#iamwriting #christmas #ACW  #salvation #christmasstory

Sophia Anyanwu lives in SE London and is an Educationist, Encourager and Reviewer. She is a writer and poet.   She is a member of the Association of Christian Writers, UK. She has written 13 books which are available on her website: www.olusolasophiaanyanwuauthor.com and Amazon.