Akua Djannie
18 December 2007
column
Ha ha ha . Listening to the radio a few mornings ago, I just had to laugh when the Presenter started complaining about the lack of a Christmas vibe in the air. Hello in the middle of November!!! Actually, when you come to think about it, it's no laughing matter. Looking at the way Christmas is celebrated in Ghana worries me.
Just like the rest of the world, Christmas in Ghana is becoming over commercialized. From what I gather, Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ (even amongst theologians, there is a debate on the exact date of the birth of Christ). With Ghanaians being as Christian as some of us we are, I'm not surprised we celebrate Christmas. What is surprising is the total brainwashing of my people.
Look, last Christmas, there were two things that really disgusted, shocked and upset me. One was the number of shops decorating their premises with "SNOW" hello how many Afrikan countries have snow? O yes, that upset me, but the other thing that really really upset me, even more than the snow, was the airing of a video of a white family singing Christmas carols on Ghanaian TV.
Can you imagine, turning on your TV in Ghana, West Afrika and seeing a family of blond-haired, blue-eyed people sitting by the fire, cheerfully singing Christmas carols? What? Singing about sledging through the snow. How many people in Afrika sit by the fire and go for sledge rides in the snow?
You may think nothing of it, but believe me, it's a big deal. There is entertainment and there is brainwashing.
Why do we follow blindly? Why do we promote other cultures so proudly yet are ashamed or are indifferent of what is ours? For example, apart from the Gas, who do you see celebrating Homowo?
As a nation, we do not come together to celebrate the traditions of our fellow Ghanaians from other tribes. When it comes to Dipo, it's the Krobos who celebrate on their own. When it comes to Bakatue, it's the Fantis, etc. We do not nationalize such important aspects of our culture. Yet when it comes to Western activities like Valentine and Christmas, we are champion celebrators. Come see Ghana on February 14th, almost the whole country is in red and white. Yet even when we are told to wear our national clothes on Fridays, how many of us follow this directive?
I mean, if we must celebrate this Western activity called Christmas, can't we at least Afrikanize it?
Then again, Christianity and the whole birth of Christ thing is not really an authentic Afrikan religion is it? So why should I expect us to Africanize it? In my home, we do not celebrate Christmas for a number of reasons.
1. I do not believe Christianity is the true religion of the Afrikan and 2. I see no reason why come every December I should spend excessively just because it's what the rest of the world is doing. I don't see why I need to buy a plastic Christmas tree when I live in a country with natural trees! I don't see why I need to eat turkey with stuffing and wear a paper hat. I don't see why I need to buy gifts for people on that day. Aferall, it's not their birthday.
Besides what I've come to see in Ghana is that when it's your birthday, you are the one who splashes out on everyone else. So seeing as it's the birthday of Christ, it's up to him to give us all gifts. And seeing as he in not here, then I guess it's up to his representatives on earth to give out free gifts and throw parties for the rest of us. On Christmas day, instead of the churches taking collections, all the Pastors, Reverends, Bishops etc should rather give out cash and presents to all their congregation. O yes, they should.
Growing up in the UK, I had no choice but to observe Christmas. From the Christmas crackers to turkey to presents under the Christmas tree. O yes, I went through it all. But today, I've rejected all of that. Do you realize how much debt people get into just to have a good Christmas? In the West, parents spend huge amounts of money. And I see it becoming so in Ghana. From the plastic Christmas trees to the decor to even turkey, it's all happening right here in Ghana. And I ask myself, is it really necessary? If Christians are really celebrating the birth of Christ, what has this got to do with turkey, excessive drinking, over-eating, partying all night and going into debt? Wasn't Christ supposed to be a humble man? Do you think he would expect or approve of this excessiveness? Or is it a case of times have changed so Christ would have indeed celebrated his birth in this way? Just like Pastors who when are asked why they have so much wealth say if Christ were alive in this day and age, he too would drive an expensive car and wear designer clothes (whilst their congregation walk to church on often empty stomachs, using the little money they have for collections so it can multiply!) Maybe Christians can justify their celebration of Christmas by arguing that in this day and age, it's no longer good enough to have a bit of fish, bread and a glass of wine to wash it all done. No! no! no! apparently in this day and age, it's very important to go OTT.
Looks like Christmas is here in Ghana to stay. And it worries me. For those who choose to follow Christianity surely they can find another more spiritual way of celebrating the birth of Christ? In some countries, from as early as September, you will see the start of Christmas. Shops start decorating their windows, Christmas trees start appearing on our streets and the adverts promoting all sorts of toys, gadgets, food, drinks etc. start. I tell you it won't surprise me to find out there are a number of young people who do not know what they are supposed to celebrate. Really, it won't surprise me if the youth think Christmas is just about their parents giving them presents and partying. It's amazing but in the West, this is the done thing.
The norm. Parents have to buy presents for the children. And not just one simple toy. No no no, come Christmas, children expect the very best and latest in toys and gadgets. God help the parent who does not fall into this trap. And I see our markets are piling up their shelves with toys. I saw a toy Hummer car for 50 GH Cedis. What? And some child will expect that for Christmas. Thankfully, it won't be mine! O yes, we do not fall for this Christmas charade in my home. Yet my children are well-rounded Spiritual Beings who know about the existent of a Higher Force that created them and looks after them at all times. My children probably are more grateful to their Creator than those children who will be showered with (expensive) gifts as they celebrate Christmas.
My children understand that I can give them a gift anytime and any day I choose, not just because society say's it's Christmas. For this, many of my friends I left behind in the UK envy me. I refuse to fall under this Christmas pressure that man has invented. I don't think my Creator expects me to over-spend, over-eat, over-drink, indeed over-indulge, every December.
O Afrikans, we must wake up. It's not everything out there that we are supposed to follow. And by the way, for any parent considering buying a doll for your daughter this Christmas, please please, look for a Black one because believe me, you are doing them more psychological damage than good when you introduce your little girl to a white doll.
But hey, these are just the reflections of an ordinary Ghanaian woman.
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Thank you for some insightful comments about Christmas. As a US citizen, I completely agree with you that Christmas has become a commercial event lasting a month or more rather than a day set aside in Christianity to celebrate a miracle. Of course, much of this change has come about because of advertising and other pressure to spend, spend, spend.
Much better, in my country, I believe, would be a greater focus on the true gifts of Christmas, love, peace, hope and joy; and also more effort to give to others from whom we have no expectation of receiving a gift in return.
As a one-time visitor to Ghana, I am sad to hear that some Ghanaians are trying to adopt a Western version of Christmas. You make a good point that more effort should be made to understand and appreciate the celebrations of the different wonderful ethnic groups of Ghana. My hope would be that Ghanaian Christians would create their own Christmas traditions incorporating the wonderful sights, sounds, tastes and smells of Ghana rather than trying to imitate what Christmas means to those of us from the temperate climates. There's a reason we in the US associate Christmas with evergreen trees, snow and "chestnuts roasting on an open fire"--that's what it's like here this time of year! So, Ghanaians, please take pride in the diversity and beauty of your own culture and country. Celebrate Christ's birth if that is your belief, but celebrate in true Ghanaian tradition. Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! Jeannette