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Krismasi Njema
That’s “Merry Christmas” in Swahili! Christmas in Africa is more of a religious and communal holiday in comparison to Europe and North America. Joyously celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ is the primary focus.
The commercialism that marks the holiday elsewhere is much less prevalent in Africa. The gifts are typically more practical, such as soap, pencils, fabric, pencils and other needful household supplies rather than the extravagant haul you typically see piled under the Christmas tree here in America.
Christmas in Africa | African Christmas in a Nutshell | How Africans Celebrate Christmas
Africa is a very large continent and the cultures and languages vary from region to region. Let’s take a look at some of these fascinating ways to celebrate Christmas.
Coptic Christmas
The Coptic Church is an Orthodox Church, so Christmas is celebrated on January 7th rather than December 25th. In Egypt, Christmas is called Eid Almilad while the Ethiopians call it Ganna. The Coptic communities are found primarily in Egypt and Ethiopia. Egypt is primarily a Muslim country with a 15% Coptic minority. Ethiopia has had a Christian majority since the 4th Century. Their national church is called Tewahdo.
CopticFact: Coptic Christmas
The 43 days before Christmas are a time of fasting in both communities as the celebrants prepare themselves for the Advent of the Christ child. In Egypt, it’s known as the Holy Nativity Fast while the Ethiopians refer to it as “Tsome Nebiyat” or the Fast of the Prophets.
Christmas Eve services on January 6th begin in the evening and can carry on until midnight or well into early Christmas morning. For most of us, this would be enough to make us crash in our beds once it was all over. Coptic Christians wrap up Christmas services with a huge family meal instead. After 43 days of fasting and enduring a basically vegan diet, it’s time to get some meat back on the table! Lamb soup, eggs, poultry are all up for grabs as the family celebrates the arrival of Christ.
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Coastal Christmas
The countries of Western Africa are a harmonious mix of Muslim and Christian communities who enjoy celebrating each others’ holidays together. Churches are packed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The countryside is flooded with people putting the busy city life behind them to enjoy the simpler life with family and friends for a while.
Fun Facts Africa | How We Celebrate Christmas in Africa | Focus on Nigeria
Coastal countries like Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia love to take full advantage of the beautiful lands God has provided by holding celebratory processions, large family get-togethers and community events. Each country and culture has their own special Christmas celebrations that include carols, church services and special feasts of beloved holiday fare.
Because of their tropical location, it seems like Summer even in the middle of winter. They love to go swimming and camping during their holiday break. Special holiday decorations make use of the plentiful palm tree leaves and other lush greenery of the region. Singing and dancing are enjoyed all year round but certainly play a big part in celebrating the birth of Jesus.
Christmastime also happens to be when the cacao beans are harvested to create the sumptuous chocolate treats that so many of us enjoy worldwide. This is all the more reason to drink in the joy of Christmas with a cup of cocoa sourced from Ghana.
Congo Basin Christmas
In this equatorial region of Africa, it feels like summertime whether you are in the Northern or Southern hemisphere. Christmas is a religious celebration, first and foremost. The people may not be materially wealthy, but they are fabulously rich in Christian spirit. Music and community are the high points of celebrating Christmas in Central Africa.
Christmas celebrations in Kenya: How Kenyans celebrated Christmas
In addition to music, people enjoy putting on religious plays that tell the whole story of the promise and the coming of Jesus Christ. Plays start on Christmas Eve and are typically timed to feature the Nativity Story right at midnight.
Hymn-sings can go on to the wee small hours when people head home for a little rest before heading right back to church on Christmas morning to further celebrate God’s greatest gift.
Families will often do what they can to make Christmas dinner a bit more special than the usual fare. In Kenya, the Christmas feast is called ‘nyama choma‘ and features barbecued meat, rice and flatbread.
Kalahari Christmas
The countries of Southern Africa have a special affinity for Santa Claus because of the influence of the European colonial powers of past centuries. Africans of European ancestry have had a marked impact on the countries in this region of the continent. German, Dutch, Portuguese and British traditions intermingle with traditional African cultures to make Christmas truly enjoyable even in the heat of summer.
Christmas in South Africa
As with other regions of Africa, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are spent in church celebrating the Advent of Jesus Christ. A variety of Christian denominations are found in this region and the church traditions vary accordingly.
Christmas trees and Santa are a more prevalent part of the Christmas atmosphere. He’s more of a spirit of the season than an excuse for extravagant gift-giving.
On Madagascar, Santa is known as ‘Dadabe Noely’. He wanders the streets to delight the children. Poinsettias grow wild in Madagascar, naturally decorating the countryside for Christmas.
Other countries of the region such as Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa have a Northern European influence. St. Nicholas, Christmas trees and Christmas cookies are a bigger part of the picture than in other African countries.
Angola has a Portuguese influence in its culture. As such, the people are primarily Catholic and celebrations have more to do with the Nativity and the many sumptuous foods of the season.
The people of Africa celebrate the beauty of God’s creation and the great gift of Jesus in so many wonderful ways from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea to the dividing line of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. With the persistently glorious weather and perpetual greenery, it’s hard not to celebrate the abundance of God’s grace in the bosom of nature with family and friends.