Thank God it’s November! Hello! Is anyone listening? Okay, you are listening. Are you excited? No? Christmas is around the corner. What! Why the shrug? Good Lord…
For many of us who are not-so Gen-Z, our brains have SSD chips containing heavy Gigabytes of Christmas memories, which, if not backed up, would appear like such memories never happened. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Christmas was a magical experience for Ugandan families, as for many families worldwide. The atmosphere was electric, filled with anticipation and joy. Around this time of the year, November, shops would already be adorned with colorful decorations and Christmas-themed merchandise. Children would eagerly await the break from school for the longest holiday of the year—a holiday which ushered in a promotion to a new class the following year— while adults would plan elaborate Christmas visits, parties, and family gatherings.
And the music—oh the music—it would fill every street, and Christmas carols were all over the airwaves! Silent Night by Franz Xaver Gruber, the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Johnny Marks, Feliz Navidad, the First Noel, Jingle Bells by Bonny M; Ssekukulu, Gloria, Merry Christmas, Katuyimuse Amaloboozi—oh those Philly Bongoley classics!
Philly Bongoley Lutaaya, a legendary Ugandan musician, was renowned for his soulful Christmas songs. His music captured, and still captures, the essence of the season, spreading love, joy, and hope. These songs would play on repeat in shops, restaurants, and homes, setting the tone for the festive season.
In the rural areas, homesteads would be abuzz with activity. The Musokes, of Bukomansimbi, would start preparing for Christmas months in advance. Mrs. Musoke would make traditional crafts, like woven baskets and mats, to decorate their home; she would also identify the choicest plantain to be eaten in festival celebrations. Her husband, Mr. Musoke, would decorate the family hut with different color patterns of mud and chalk; the boys would help out too. He would put aside a goat and a few chickens to be prepared for his extended family on D-day. The children would be excited about new clothes and shoes, and all talk and activity would be about Christmas or December—most rural people even misunderstood Christmas and December, as if they were the same thing.
The Opios of Arua, a decent family with some money would transform their home into a winter wonderland. Mrs. Opio would start baking traditional Christmas cookies together with other traditional culinary around this time, while her husband, Mr. Opio, would decorate the house with a colorful Christmas tree, blinking with lights and cards, as well as a father-Christmas dancing in the middle of the main room, on a string tied on the roof. The children would be playing around the tree with Hey don’t knock the Christmas tree down following their backs.
In Kampala, the Petersons, both university lecturers with no children yet, would plan to host an annual Christmas party for their friends and workmates. Mrs. Peterson would stock the house with Christmas supplies around this time, while Mr. Peterson would plan to DJ popular Christmas tunes and cause crates of wines and spirits to start flowing into the house.
The Mulondos from Jinja would take a festive boat ride on the Nile…
Christmas church services were always a highlight of the season. Even the most hardened atheists and those who never prayed would attend church on this day, once a year.
“I remember my grandfather, who never went to church at all, would insist on attending Christmas service,” recalls 30-year-old Nalwanga. “He’d say, as he shaved his grey beard, it was the one day of the year he felt connected to the community, a good day to do the bottle with friends after church service. On that day his clothes would be all new and neat—a fly brushing his shirt’s crease would easily be sliced a half,” she jokes.
The churches would be packed, with people dressed in their finest attire. The choirs would sing beautiful hymns, and the pastors would deliver heartfelt sermons, remembering to keep them brief else people’s meals back home would go cold and hard.
“The Christmas service was always special,” says Reverend Magge Peter of the Pentecostal Church of Uganda, Bugiri. “It was a time when people put aside their differences and came together to celebrate the birth of Jesus.”
After church, everyone invited everyone, but everyone chose to stay in their homes. In the evening, after the sumptuous Christmas meal, everyone disappeared in different directions, and parents for the first time didn’t seem to mind– the children would ask for money to go trotting in search for super-deep or Jolly Jus and biscuits in shops; only Muslims shops opened on that day. The young men went to cinemas, soccer matches, or dances with their girlfriends. Nostalgic, right?
So, what changed? Well, a lot! Several factors contributed to the decline of Christmas enthusiasm in Uganda.
The economic situation in Uganda has taken a really difficult toll on many families. The high costs of living have made it difficult for people to afford necessities, let alone festive expenses.
The Kasosas, a family of four from the outskirts of Kampala, struggle to make ends meet. “We used to have a big Christmas dinner, but now we can barely afford a decent meal,” says Mrs. Kasosa. ”After Christmas and New Year’s the children have to go back to school, and the fees are high the height of Goliath!” Besides, as urbanization and the increased trek for jobs in the city, traditional family structures and community ties began to fray. Attention has shifted from family, friends, and community to material gifts.
New influences have distracted Ugandans from traditional Christmas values. Security and safety concerns have dampened the festive mood, as there are a gazillion robbery cases and motor accidents during this season.
It is also not invisible that the political atmosphere has affected the Christmas excitement. The country’s democratic institutions are but volatile, leading to concerns about the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability. The recent presidential elections in 2021 were marred by allegations of electoral manipulation, violence, and restrictions on opposition rallies and campaigning. This dampened mood has been shifted to Christmas. Besides the love that existed between people has been stolen by political rivalry.
The rise of social media has created a culture of comparison, making people feel inadequate and less inclined to celebrate, besides being an attention divider. People love meeting people online rather than in person.
These factors have cumulatively eroded the Christmas spirit, leaving many Ugandans feeling disconnected and unenthusiastic about the holiday.
Given the current trend, it is likely that Christmas celebrations in Uganda will continue to decline. By 2030, Christmas may become a mere shadow of its former self, a hollow shell of a holiday devoid of meaning and joy.
In 10 years, Ugandans may look back at the Christmas celebrations of the past with nostalgia, reminiscing about the good old days when families came together, shared meals, and exchanged gifts. The festive spirit that once brought people together will be replaced by individualism and commercialism. The decline of Christmas celebrations is a symptom of deeper societal issues that must be addressed.
Happy holidays. Remember to travel home this Christmas and see your mother. She misses you, plus the memories of your late father!
