The season of giving is fast approaching, and it’s time to get in the Christmas spirit! Here are some interesting facts about how Nigerians celebrate this wonderful day.
In Africa today, there’s often air or feeling that we need more than just material possessions for our happiness. Many believe something deeper down within us which can’t really be explained with words can be changed during this festive period – like goals accomplishments, but then again, maybe they look forward to putting some resolutions in place. In all these, the true meaning behind Christmas is a reason why all these years after celebrating Jesus’ birthday on December 25th continued being celebrated long past Saturnalia (or winter solstice) came around without failing each year.
Every year, millions of people all around the world flock to their homes in time for Christmas. The celebration is so popular that it is always a staple on your calendar, and you might not have even realized how much we enjoy this occasion yet! Join Peak Essential Health as they take us back home to Nigeria, where young children are always excited with the anticipation while they await presents under the Christmas trees or freshly cut greens.
In Africa, there’s no mistaking what day has arrived once the Christmas season approaches; lights decorate windowsills everywhere – some religious devotees believe lighting candles ensures protection against evil spirits attacks. Others believe it’s a sign of washing away sins to begin a new live.
The excitement Christmas brings to Nigeria is one of the most touching and joyful moments in this world. The sacred event, which celebrates family togetherness like no other country can do it better than them. These traditions have been passed down from generations, making each celebration more exciting with the uniqueness that sets it apart from all others around!
In many parts of Nigeria, Christmas is a time for family gatherings. Many people who live in cities travel back to their villages to celebrate Christmas with their family members. Christmas is famous as an event of family gatherings, and for those who live in cities, they celebrate their culture at home on this special day with loved ones. Christmas in Nigeria is also the time when many cultural tend to show case their traditions where children meet with their grandparents to learn the culture and also enjoy tales by moon light stories. Each day families tend to show love and kindness, by exchanging gifts and eating traditional dishes that remind them about how much they have missed the life in the village. There is always that joy and peace when families come together, appreciating one another and seeing that there was more than just themselves going through hard times like food shortage or economic depression.
The celebration of Christmas in Nigeria is filled with different cultures, rituals, and traditions that are centuries old.
One of such traditions involves families throwing parties for one another on the evening before, which can last until morning comes! People drink, eat, and enjoy throughout the night. Nigerians go to church to pray on Christmas Mornings. Homes and Streets are decorated in cultural colors that depict the celebration of Christmas.
Nigerian people don’t eat anything on Christmas Eve. They drink and dance throughout the night to save food for the day of Christmas. Family visits and exchange of Christmas Cards are one of the most practiced traditions in Nigeria. People send Christmas cards to their family members and friends as a sign of love. Nigerian Children’s Christmas is incomplete without firecrackers that they play with throughout the Eve. The tradition of Santa Claus and exchanging gifts is also popular among Nigerians.
What are some traditional foods eaten at Christmas in Nigeria?
Nigerian people love to eat different foods, including turkey, beef, goat, and sheep. The famous traditional foods that are eaten at Christmas in Nigeria are as follows:
- Rice and Chicken Stew
- Fried Rice
- Jollof Rice
- Ukwa
- Fisherman Soup
- Ofada rice and Stew
- Nkwobi
In some parts of Nigeria, people eat fried rice or jollof rice on Christmas as their traditional food and leave meats such as turkey and chicken to grant life to several animals on that special day. This means that instead of the typical meaty meal at this time-honored tradition, there is often just a dish made from grains like plantains (a type of banana) which typify African cooking styles more than anything else – giving us another reason why it tastes so incredible!
The mealtime changes significantly on December 25th when Nigerian people wait for their families and friends at the lunch and dinner table. Nigerian People mostly serve traditional foods to their guests.
Nigerians have unique traditions because of their culture and customs that are unique from the rest of the world.
Countries have unique traditions to celebrate Christmas.
Besides Nigeria, many countries have unique traditions of celebrating Christmas, such as:
- Philippines
- Sweden
- Austria
- Japan
- Iceland
- Germany
Learning about the unique traditions of different countries can take your Christmas celebrations to the next level because you’ll be able to celebrate in more than one traditional way. Therefore, you should learn the traditions of these countries related to Christmas.
Thank You Very Much!
