Though not written anywhere in the Bible, December 25 of every year has come to be regarded as Christmas Day by many Christians the world over. While some religious sects, especially Jehovah’s Witnesses, refuse to celebrate the day. Christmas means different things to many Christians. PAUL OKAH takes a look at ways people choose to celebrate this one-day event.
Ordinarily, Christmas is celebrated by Christians in different countries across the world on December 25 every year, as a day for the remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ, which many see as a time to exchange gifts, party and make merry.
However, for just a day’s event, Christmas is overshadowed by many things that herald the day from December 1, especially from skyrocketing prices of goods and services, increase in transportation fares, avoidable road accidents, promiscuity to many things not worthy of marking the birth of anyone, let alone Jesus Christ, “the only true Son of God.”
Hike in fares
Transportation companies believe that the yuletide is a period to make all the money they missed in the other months of the year; hence the arbitrary increase in transportation fares.
It is common to visit transportation companies few days to Christmas to realise that fares have been increased by more than 50 per cent, if not 100 per cent, even when there is no increment in the price of petroleum products.
It is also difficult, if not impossible, to book airline flights in Nigeria during the yuletide ,as the holidaying upper class always book in advance; thereby leaving less fortunate ones with no other option than to endure the death traps and other inconveniences of the Nigerian roads.
Apart from vehicle drivers, passengers always have to contend with overzealous touts, who use the opportunity of people travelling home for Christmas to exert their importance and superiority.
Speaking to Blueprint Weekend on the perennial issue, a motorist in Utako, FCT, Mr. Jafaru Ahmed, said apart from the transportation companies having ‘other expenses,’ drivers also have family obligations to attend to and would require more money than at other times of the year.
“My brother, there is a spirit connected to Christmas that there is no transportation company, no matter how big, that would not increase fares. Believe me, before the 15th of every December, established transportation companies like God is Good, Peace Mass Transit, GUO and others, would stop online booking.
“This is usually in order for commuters to come with cash so that they can be charged high amounts. The companies also have to pay Christmas bonuses to staff, so they have to think of ways to raise money too. Apart from that, the drivers have their own family obligations to meet, so it boils down on passengers having to pay higher fares to satisfy drivers and transportation company owners,” he said.
Hike in prices of products
Just like when Muslims celebrate Sallah, prices of goods are hiked by traders, who usually regard the yuletide as a period to make enough money to cater for family expenses and different needs they couldn’t meet at other months of the year.
Speaking to Blueprint Weekend, a resident of Kado Kuchi, Mrs. Phoebe Emeka, who hails from Enugu state, said villagers regard the Christmas period as a time for those living in different cities to return their own share of the ‘national cake.’
“In my village, buying recharge card is always a problem as vendors always add N10 or N20 to the original price of recharge cards. N100 Mtn is usually sold at N110 and you must have the N10 available, otherwise the airtime will not be sold to you. Soft drinks and beer also attract additional charges.
“As for filling station owners, many of them would hoard products and then sell at high prices to motorists or black market. In fact, many filling stations would prefer to sell to black market retailers at higher prices to selling to motorists at the approved pump price. Some filling stations will open by 2am or 4am to sell to black markets and then claim to have run out of fuel once it is 6am or 7am. That way, the market is then directed to the black market operators, who can sell a litre of fuel for N200 or N250, instead of the N145 approved pump price.
“Unfortunately, many people won’t have alternatives. It is either they buy for their generators or cars or stay in darkness, which is not an option for many who are supposed to be in celebration mood. Therefore, for a period that is supposed to be for happiness and remembrance of the birth of Christ, many use it to make brisk money. Ironically, Christmas is just for a day, but many things about it are just annoying and discouraging,” she said.
Similarly, Miss Precious Cherechi Titus, who hails from Enugu state, but resides in Nasarawa state, told our reporter that power supply becomes more epileptic during the yuletide and that filling station owners usually frustrate the joyful mood of the season.
“Prices of fuel become very high during Christmas in Nasarawa, as if to discourage you from travelling to the village. There is always shortage of fuel, with people queuing on end. Worse still, NEPA will not give light, even by mistake, but will expect N5, 000 payment for electricity bills. In fact, many negative things take the shine off the joy that is supposed to be experienced during Christmas,” she said.
Insecurity, accidents
It is no longer news that the roads are not always safe during the yuletide, especially with avoidable accidents, as a result of dangerous overtaking, over speeding, drink driving, carelessness, bad road and what have you.
Also, many times, people complain of being attacked by armed robbers and being dispossessed of belongings on their way home for Christmas; since the armed robbers are also men looking for quick and illegitimate means of getting rich and making money to cushion Christmas expenses or to fund lavish lifestyles.
Speaking to our correspondent, an event manager and CEO of Kencake Subway Delight, Afikpo, Ebonyi state, Mr. Ken Inya Oyimagada, said many immoral activities occur during the yuletide, with dare devil armed robbers dispossessing victims of hard earned belongings and men luring unsuspecting girls with gifts.
He said, “Despite the good part of Christmas, it always comes with its negative stories. As people travel to meet their loved ones, accidents normally occur. Armed robbers see the yuletide as means of making their money, while products in the market become unnecessarily costly. Also, parents do everything possible to cloth and buy things for their kids, even when they don’t have; leaving them spending all the money they made for the whole year.
“Also, guys from developed cities like Lagos, Abuja, and even abroad, would do everything possible to impregnate village girls just by buying them little gifts. Many people also attempt to impress everyone in the village with borrowed cars. However, I think we should just have it in mind that Christmas is for the celebration of the birth of Jesus and never a time to spend all we have laboured throughout the year.”
Family members
Having spent many months in the city, the attention is always shifted to the village during the yuletide. As a result, the cities become deserted of many Christians, who would rather travel home either for a day than spend the Christmas in their base.
As a result, family members in the village usually have huge expectations of a son or daughter returning home for Christmas. The huge expectations and the attendant financial implications often make people to stay back in the city and sending money home, instead of spending much on transportation and not having enough money to buy presents for family members.
An entrepreneur, Mr. Peter Kelechi Mba, in a chat with this reporter, said poverty is usually a big factor to consider, as some people usually set high targets they expect to achieve within the year and then take to crime when they couldn’t realise their targets.
“Everybody sets a target in January to achieve it on or before Christmas. However, when Christmas draws near and you find out that you have not gotten close to that plan, many would then do everything within their reach to ensure that their plan is a success. That is exactly why you discover that the rate of crime is always on the high side during Christmas,” he said.
Social events
No matter the amount budgeted for Christmas, it is usually difficult to have enough money to spend with family members. Most times, those who make it home usually run into childhood friends, school mates and would inevitably end in beer parlours to catch up on old times.
Interestingly, many people put off events at other times of the month only to fix dates for weddings, naming ceremonies and other social events during the yuletide. This is usually in order to ensure huge turnout as the returnees from the city would use the occasion of social gatherings to showoff, with more than two events often taking place in a small venue because of lack of space.
Children, wards’ expectations
“Brother, sister, happy Christmas!” is usually the slogan of children on sighting an uncle or an aunty last seen many months ago in the village. The expectation is usually for the man or woman to part with money for candies, biscuits, fireworks or toys. Sometimes, even ill-trained children harass total strangers for Christmas gifts, as they get carried away by the season to show respect to elders.
Many times, children have fallen sick over the inability of their parents to buy new wears or toys to show off to their mates, regardless of whether the parents are financially capable or not. Therefore, once you get to a home and see children with gloomy faces on Christmas, you need not be told that their parents didn’t meet up with financial expectations.
On the part of the adult, whether one budgeted for them or not, it is an “unforgivable crime” for someone to come back to the village during Christmas with old clothes, after spending months “hustling” in the city. Therefore, it is an unwritten rule for anyone travelling home for Christmas to buy new clothes; in order to feel among.
Pregnancies, infections
Many people get carried away by the social events taken place during the yuletide and opportunities of meeting long lost friends to be promiscuous, with many women ending up with unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections in the following months after Christmas.
In a chat with Blueprint Weekend, a writer and teacher in Government Secondary School, Afikpo, Ebonyi state, Mr. Ogbonnia Nwachi, said there is an unnecessary show of affluence during the yuletide, which usually land the showoffs in grief at the end of the day, as those engaging in reckless sex end up with different forms of health issues.
He said, “Debauchery is always at its crescendo during Christmas. You would see men and women engaging in an endless drinking spree and reckless sex. Of course, we know how dangerous it is, both to the health of the body and the health of the pocket. There is also an unnecessary show of affluence; with some men going as far as hiring cars to come home and boast to villagers; so that the latter will hold them in high esteem as rich people.
“This is fake life and it has its own consequences. The car could be damaged or even stolen, thereby plunging the hirer into a Tsunami of debts. Also, criminality of all forms is always on the increase, because no one wants to be left out in the Christmas jamboree. Some kill, swindle, steal and engage in all manner of evil just to make money. This should be discouraged. After all, what is it that is being celebrated? Setting an Olympian height for oneself because it is Christmas, can land you in a very serious trouble.”
After-Christmas expenses
It is inevitable that many people often get carried away to spend more than they budgeted for during the yuletide. Therefore, New Year expenses await them immediately after Christmas or New Year celebrations.