What Christmas means to children

Christmas in this part of the world is a family event, a time when lots of family members come together to celebrate and have fun. Most families that live in the cities travel to the villages where their grandparents, older relatives, distant relatives and friends live, so the celebration becomes some kind of reunion; one […]

Christmas in this part of the world is a family event, a time when lots of family members come together to celebrate and have fun.
Most families that live in the cities travel to the villages where their grandparents, older relatives, distant relatives and friends live, so the celebration becomes some kind of reunion; one that enables the members to have fun together.
The 25th day of December is the annual Christian festival meant to celebrate Christ’s birth. The celebration comes with lots of funfair; music, outing, eating and so on.
Christmas Day is a public holiday which is always marked by the emptying of towns and cities as most people return to their ancestral villages to be with family and to bless those less fortunate.
On Christmas eve, traditional meals are prepared according to the traditions of each region.
Nigerians with their love for meat tend to prepare various meat dishes in large quantities. In the South, jollof rice and pounded yam are delicacies that cannot be left out on the menu list as they are served along with different soups and stew accompanied by a sizeable amount of meat – beef, turkey, chicken and goat – as the case may be.
In the North, tuwon shinkafa (from rice) with other delicious soups like miyar taushe are also made available for family members, neighbours and guests alike.
Exchange of gifts is also associated with the season as people pay visits to the less privileged – orphanages, IDP camps – to identify with them and also provide them with gift items that they believe those living there are in dire need of.
Weeks before Christmas, people buy lots of livestock such as chicken, turkeys, goats and cows. On Christmas eve, as per tradition the animals are slaughtered and traditional meals are prepared.
Installation of Christmas light and trees in homes and decorations are part of the tradition to mark this season as homes are adorned with sparkling and singing lighting that make the children move with excitement whenever they go. 
Got question.org said the true meaning of Christmas is love. Quoting from the Book of John Chapter 3 verse 16 to 17, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of this incredible act of love.
In most parts of the country, children often take the centre stage in Christmas celebration. Their love for firecrackers, visits to Santa Claus, wearing new clothes, visiting places and friends make the season a unique one as parents do all they can to provide these to make the children happy.
It is in light of this that we spoke to some children on what Christmas means to them:
Eight-year-old Isaac Ayomide, said Christmas means going out and spending time with family and friends. "Every Christmas time my Mummy takes us to different places and we go to watch films since we are on holiday. Then on Christmas day we go to church. There is always a Christmas party in our church before the Christmas day where we play, eat and receive gifts."
Joan Achu is a 10-year-old JSS II student in one of the private schools in Abuja.  According to her, having being away from her family and friends she sees Christmas as a time to unite with them. "That is the time I’m able to spend with family and friends catching up on times that we were not able to have."
 But Kemi Williams who is 16 years old and a student in one of the private universities in the country said to her, Christmas is always over hyped.
 “All the wahala is for one day, all the stress, the cooking the preparation and all, the work in the house is too much.
“Even though the pastors and priests say, Christmas is a time to share and give love, but most people spend the time not reflecting or meditating but rather they indulge in partying away.
“They do not consider the poor or the less privileged. In all the excitement they forget the essence of Christmas,” she said.
Lucas John,15, has a different look on Christmas. “It is the best time of the year for me. All my family members are in one place – my dad and my mum all work together to make the holidays memorable for us.
“It’s the magic of Christmas, the love if only for one day is real; gifts or not, the atmosphere is beautiful. I wish that every day was Christmas, because we all make an effort to be nice to each other.”   
 Aisha Umar,10 years old and a Muslim said she loves celebrating the season with her friends, adding that it is a time when one travels for the holiday and also visit family members that are Christians.
She said she had fun last year’s when they visited her aunt who is a Christian.
"All of us were happy.  We played together and my aunt took us to the park. We also returned back home with gifts.
But Father Sebastian Musa, the parish priest of the Cathedral of the 12 Apostles Church, said that though Christmas is all about sharing and giving, it also has to do with family.
“Christmas is all about family, and only family and bringing smiles to the places of the less privileged, those that do not have,” she said.