DETTY DECEMBER.
The Harmattan season is my favorite part of the year, for reasons I can't quite place myself. As soon as the harmattan season is ushered in, I feel lifted sort of.
I can't tell if it's because there's a change in the atmosphere or because Christmas is near, you can just feel the shift in the air and good vibes everywhere. I've heard people complain that the harmattan season comes accompanied by a lot of sickness, you have to deal with parched throats, and skin dryness among others, so they are not fans.
I can't relate though, I have a very strong immune system, so I can waltz through different seasons without having to worry about getting sick.
Oops! Silly me. I forgot December is also my birth month, but that's not why I'm partial to it. I've thought about it several times, but I never really did understand the connection.
That being said, every December is special for me, and I'm always looking out for it like a new baby waiting for a cherished plaything. My birthday celebration each year is always lit, and we always party till momma calls.
Ever since I had my first child, and then my second, December has turned into a basic holiday for me. I never have the time to turn up and celebrate being the super mom that I am. I'm always worrying about one thing or the other about the kids, so I've stopped looking forward to the holidays, it only means more work for me.
This December though, it's going to be different. My birthday is on the 11th, but I plan to make to make it a two-in-one celebration.
My family is going to converge in my parent's house myself included so, we can spend Christmas together after a long time of spending it apart.
I'm big on family, so it means so much to me that we can all be present to celebrate Jesus, the reason for the season.
In the interest of loosening up, I'll get dressed and go clubbing with my siblings. My mom likes to take care of her grandchildren, and she does it happily. The kids will be left in her care.
This is the only season that allows me to see my siblings, their spouses, and their children. I don't take it for granted so, I make sure to enjoy every single moment of it.
Christmas Day celebration will kick off with cooking food for our Muslim neighbors early in the morning. You might wonder why, it's because our Muslim friends always cook for us when it's time for their celebrations, so we have to reciprocate. It's not compulsory by the way, it's just necessary.
The next item will be cleaning up and getting ready for church. We would pile up in two cars, my brother's and my mom's to accommodate all of us, and then, off we go.
The service on Christmas day will be different as there will be choir ministrations, drama, preaching, and some other activities to celebrate Christmas.
After the service, we'll head home, sit around a table, exchange gifts, and gist about our lives this year. Some of those stories will be guaranteed to make one laugh till water rolls from one's eye. I come from a family of good storytelling comedians. We'll talk about the economy of course, and discuss our future going forward.
Once all the serious talk is out of the way, we will do the dishes and sit in front of the TV to watch movies and interact with the kids.
Our lunch will be at a restaurant with the kids and we'll visit some fun places, and gardens where children have access to many exciting playthings as long as they can pay.
We'll be back home in the evening, and once it's night, my siblings, my brother's wife and I will get the kids to bed after feeding and it's goodnight from there.
We usually get to the club by midnight when it is guaranteed that the club will be bubbly. Only one downside, it's going to be jam-packed due to the Christmas celebrations.
I'm certain one of my siblings will suggest a toast to my birthday, and the celebration of the season.
Our drinks will be served and we'll have private discussions among ourselves as siblings. As the drinks begin to sink in, so will our tongues loosen up to say what we couldn't say in the presence of our mom. We are tight light that. Half the things we discuss will make our mum disown us, lol. It's not a prediction of how the celebrations will go, it's our ritual. It takes the same form with slightly different changes each year depending on the itinerary.
And then, there's the dancing, drinking, cracking jokes, making merry, and forgetting about one's troubles. As we like to say down here, December is going to be detty, I've been saving up for it for a long time. In that moment though, no one will worry about tomorrow as it will take care of itself.
We'll all resume life and face reality afterward but at that moment, everyone will be liberated from the hassle of our daily hustle. Tomorrow is another day after all.... NM
