Africans celebrate Christmas uniquely, ranging from religious to secular, modern to traditional, a mishmash of unrealistic expectations and a lot of family drama. This jolly season is also about giving and receiving gifts. Let’s look at 10 Christmas gifts that showcase African heritage.
1. A Bag of Rice
Africans love to eat rice on Christmas day. Several households could not afford rice in the past (even now), so rice was prepared on Sundays or during special occasions and festivities like Christmas. Christmas and rice can be likened to fraternal twins, which is why you buy a bag of rice to gift your loved ones.
2. Chicken
Not sure if it’s the affinity of Africans with ritual killing, but a lot of chickens meet their untimely death on Christmas day. Chicken, because it’s the preferred animal protein for the stew that will be served with the Christmas rice (Jollof rice takes a back seat this season).
3. Cooking Utensils
Gifting a pot or plate for Christmas, just shows how much you care for the health and well-being of the person. It’s also a coded way of telling them that they need to quit junk food and spend more time in the kitchen.
4. A gift card/money
You’ve run out of ideas for gift items to buy, so you prepare a gift card/money. Christmas is a lot of fun and good cheer, but if you are not careful with your expenses, you may go broke.
5. Food and drinks
You can never go wrong with good food when you go visiting during Christmas. You can also bring along spices and ingredients that are solely for preparing African meals (especially groundnut oil and palm oil).
6. Ankara and Lace Fabrics
If you’re single, this gift can be a double-edged sword. It can either earn you praise or cause people to remember that your peers are sharing aso-ebis for their upcoming traditional weddings.
7. Gift Hampers
Gift hampers are a big thing for Africans, especially during Christmas for people that cannot be bothered to run to the store or market to buy Christmas gifts. The items in the gift hamper can range from beverages to toilet cleaners.
8. Toys
African parents are strict about kids reading their books instead of playing with toys but the rules are lax during Christmas. This is why your go-to gift for anyone below the age of 10 is toys.
9. Clothes, Jewellery and accessories
Shoes, handbags, bracelets, necklaces, glasses and a wide variety of trinkets make for lovely Christmas gifts. Let them get their holiday swag on.
10. Devotional Book
Africans that are highly religious understand that the Christmas holiday is just another season to watch and pray. Devotionals also make for good spiritual companions, so they’d make a good addition to your gift list this holiday.
If you’re not sending threats to your tailor (yet), hatching plans to attend all the carols in your area or making up excuses for why you are not returning home, then, giving gifts is another way of expressing your African roots during Christmas.
REFERENCES:
WorldRemit: 12 Christmas facts and stats
Business Day: Christmas and the Rice Phenomenon
DND Stories Africa: What Started the Christmas Chicken Tradition in Nigeria?
