MARKING XMAS: OUR AGE- LONG TRADITION

Towards the end of every year, everyone seem to have been wired to prepare for the holidays/celebration. Regardless of the religion or the affiliation, the season seems to permeate everyone's  agenda and thought and we just about run or do something different for that day. December 25, a day set aside for the commemmoration of the birth of the Christian Lord is actually celebrated by all.

 This year again, like other years, we are all preparing for the celebration of that popularly called Christmas. Growing up it used to be the day Chicken will be killed and we all await our share of the carcass accompanying the loud mound of pounded yam or the generous portion of rice in our plates. Happy children with newly sewn clothes for church and special parties will flood everywhere. Family members that either live or work faraway will come home to celebrate. Gifts will be packaged and exchanged between lovers, families and friends. Many programmes will be held on the radio stations on that day and carols will be rolled out on the TV stations. The most popular songs then were "We wish you a merry xmas...(3x) and a happy new year" and "Jingle Bells" also "Mary's Boy Child."  Santa (Father xmas) will be seen in his ever red and white attire, and so on.
 
Interestingly enough, these stuffs are still in vogue. Any xmas without those activities and songs will just not be felt that much. Even when we claim to have grown too old to celebrate xmas, we still have one thing or the other in our activities pointing to the fact that xmas is the air.

The question now is, will the human race ever get tired of celebrating xmas? Or okay, as much as we love new things, why is it that we have never grown tired of this one day, one season, one event that seems to have been glued to every calendar we buy? Well, maybe there is actually something really wonderful about this tradition than meets the eye because while we have move in other aspects like technology, fashion, music, interest, movies, age, e.t.c. we have never been able to shake off xmas and its effects.

So, since we are still celebrating xmas, let me say, Happy xmas in advance.