My most memorable Christmas

Christmas is a memorable time for many people, yet it means various things to different people. As a growing little kid, my interests included eating rice and chicken, wearing new clothes, and moving about town. Now my focus is on the significance of the anniversary and the lessons I can learn from it: first, God the Father's unrivaled and unquestionable altruistic and unconditional love.

Two, even in the face of man's persistent unfaithfulness, God's unwavering fidelity and commitment. Three, despite the agony of the crucifixion, Jesus' adherence to His Father's desire, and, of course, leaving His heavenly comfort zone to preach the gospel.

My first memorable Christmas was in 2021, but it was memorable for the wrong reasons. Our Christmas clothes were not given to a tailor .my parent for the first time bought me the best clothes in Nigeria , so that on Christmas day, while other children were already parading the streets of Ekpoma Edo state ,we were at home, eating, because I don't like parading the streets on Christmas day.

I don't wear Christmas clothes on Christmas day, because I over heardy dad telling my that we will going on a trip on 26 of December .

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The next memorable Christmas was in 2019; not that I can still remember anything in particular that happened on that day beyond going to church, coming back and eating Christmas rice and chicken. It has become memorable because it was on that day that I took the surviving oldest photograph with my family and love one, that photograph is the most treasured memories

Two, even in the face of man's persistent unfaithfulness, God's unwavering fidelity and commitment. Three, despite the agony of the crucifixion, Jesus' adherence to His Father's desire, and, of course, leaving His heavenly comfort zone to preach the gospel.

The next Christmas will be in 2020, and it will be on a Friday. We had stopped eating meat on Fridays at home about four years before in honor of Christ, who died on a Friday. It was also a kind of penance and physical mortification. My mother made chicken stew for Christmas, but she instructed us to wait until Saturday to eat it.

(In fact, she would not have prepared it but did because of visitors. She did not want to impose her personal observances on others outside the family). We disagreed with her. Our argument was that if Christ had not been born he would not have died on a Friday; that Christ’s birth supersedes his death. With this we descended on the Christmas chicken to the displeasure of my mother.

Christmas of 2021 was my most memorable. For the first time I went on vacation uromi Edo State . I was not alone, for the first time all my four siblings were around, also our spouses, our children;some of our cousins and a few other relatives stayed under one roof for Christmas. It was a full house; and an unbelievable scene, about 10 adults and children. Even my mother who hardly left her abode could not resist the momentous occasion; she joined us.

It was the same as when we were kids. We spent time reminiscing about the past, comparing notes, and looking ahead. I slept for the majority of the period. It was a nice respite from Edo state's woes, and no one wanted to leave. We agreed to make it an annual event, but it was not possible in the following Christmases. This year, though, we assumed it would be unavoidable due to my mother's 80th birthday and another family event.

Peace, love, forgiveness, reconciliation, and other co-travellers are all part of the Christmas message. Since a trip of a million miles begins with a single step and charity begins at home, why don't we utilize the opportunity of this Christmas to make peace with our spouses, children, siblings, and other family with whom we have differences? Is this a difficult task? I understand,but that is what this season is all about, not rice and chicken (only).

“Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy…(St. Francis of Assisi).

Finally, my heart goes out to all families who have lost loved ones or suffered one form of tragedy or the other especially this year.

“Christmas…must naturally pull a joyful blanket over all the tragedies, failures, doubts and all tribulations of the entire year"

So shall it be for us all in Jesus name. Amen