Elsie Udoh
If you’re Nigerian, then you already know that Christmas cannot be complete without some fond traditions that bring us together and add to the joy of the season.
However, due to our busy schedule, we might not be able to keep up with these traditions as much as we’d like to. This post is here to remind you of some fond Christmas traditions that make a Nigerian Christmas and unite us during the festive season. You can probably try them out again this Christmas.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHere are ten cherished Christmas traditions that bring Nigerians together every December.
- Travelling Home to the Village
You’re not Nigerian, especially of Igbo descent, if you haven’t visited home at least once during Christmas.
And if you haven’t gotten to experience this yet, then there’s still time to plan this before the holiday gets here.
Christmas, for many Nigerians, is a time to reconnect with loved ones and sometimes this means migrating back home to meet loved ones and enjoy homemade traditional meals and games.
This tradition is also a great way to share customs, cultures, and traditions with younger ones and make extended family meet and bond.
- Christmas Carol Services and Plays
This is especially common for schools and churches. End-of-the-year parties for schools usually feature carol sessions and reenactments of the birth of Jesus Christ as plays.
This is also common in churches, as carol services are held where popular Christmas hymns are sung by the choir and children also have a part to play in leading carols and acting dramas.
These activities help to remind us of the reason for the season and give us more reason to celebrate while worshipping together.
- Bustling Christmas Markets
Almost every market you visit now will be bustling with Christmas decorations, both on display and for sale.
These are usually great hubs for shopping for gifts, decorations, and new Christmas outfits for D-day. The only con of these Christmas markets is that prices tend to skyrocket during this time of the year and this usually leaves our mothers in a hurry to snag the best clothes on time before the prices go flying off the roof.
- Cooking and Sharing Meals
This is perhaps the best part of the Christmas traditions.
Christmas time is usually a period when families cook meals from Jollof rice to Fried Rice, Chicken, Goat Meat, Moi Moi, and different soups. It doesn’t end there; the best part of the tradition is sharing these meals with neighbours and friends and expecting to receive the same too.
It’s for this reason that there’s usually much to eat and drink during Christmas. What also makes Christmas enjoyable is that for this one time, nobody gets to judge you when you eat at a neighbour’s house together because almost everyone is sharing meals and love with each other.
- Decorating Homes and Business Areas
Look around you; what can you see?
Probably some flashy Christmas lights, Christmas trees in some places, ribbons, and other Christmas garlands in some areas.
This is common in some homes, churches, and business areas. The sights of these colourful decorations only mean one thing—it’s the Christmas season and this makes the atmosphere feel more “Christmasy.”
- Christmas Eve Church Services
The night before Christmas, there’s usually a midnight church service known as ‘watch nights.’ These events are marked by prayers, hymns, and sermons that celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
The fun part of this service is usually the blowing of fireworks at the end with light refreshments.
READ ALSO: 100 Christmas Card Wishes, Text Messages, Greetings For Loved Ones
- Wearing Matching Outfits
Or should we say wearing matching pyjamas, since this has now become the order of the day?
However, before wearing matching pyjamas became a thing, wearing matching outfits had a long-standing record in the Nigerian Christmas tradition.
Many families celebrate Christmas by wearing matching clothes, which are worn to church, gatherings, and photo sessions.
- Community Carnivals and Street Parties
The streets of Nigeria are not left isolated, as there are community carnivals and street parties that paint the town red!
These parties are usually open for everyone to join in and celebrate, and they feature music, dancing, parades, and performances by local and upcoming artists.
- Exchanging Gifts
In almost every Nigerian family and even corporate organisation, Christmas is a time to exchange gifts.
Corporate organisation gifts can be the employees gifting each other or the company giving gifts out to their staff or it could even be both
- Visiting Friends and Neighbours
Christmas is also a great time to socialise. Families and friends visit one another to exchange greetings, share meals, and celebrate together.
Some neighbourhoods might also organise Christmas parties and get-togethers to bond.
Conclusion
Christmas in Nigeria is a great time to rekindle fond traditions and have a great time with the people who matter the most to us.
So whether you’re travelling home, engaging in Christmas carols or services, exchanging gifts with friends and families or even spending time with neighbours, remember to have a great Christmas celebration this year and keep the reason for the season fresh in your minds.
Elsie Udoh is an SEO content writer who specialises in writing engaging stories that resonates with diverse audiences. She studied mass communication at the Lagos State University.
