A few years ago on Christmas eve, I was in
Ndola town doing some last minute shopping when I saw something that made me go
deep in thoughts.
The town was crowded with excited shoppers
moving around with huge parcels clutched in their arms. Christmas carols were
played and bright lights blinking invitingly in every shop . It seemed like
everyone had a lot of money to spend until I saw this woman on the street.
The woman was simply dressed in a cheap
chitenge wrap-around and headgear. On her feet she wore a pair of worn out
slippers and she was holding a black plastic bag in her hands, with words “Have
a Nice Day” printed in grey or silver. I could tell right away that she was a
poor person.
As I watched her, she walked up to a street vendor who was selling
balloons and fireworks and asked how much the balloons cost. She bought two
balloons and wrapped them carefully in the corner of her chitenge and briskly
walked away.
I knew those balloons were for her children
or child. I had no doubt in my mind that the balloons were probably the only
things she could afford to buy for her children. She wanted to make her kids
have a piece of the Christmas feeling despite not having a lot of money to buy
expensive things for the family.
In Zambia, Christmas time is a period when
you should not be broke. During this time everyone wants to do something
special for the family or for themselves. People spend excessively with others
even landing themselves in heavy debts afterwards. It is like every household
wants to outdo the other.
Many Zambians do not buy Christmas presents
for each other and very few even send Christmas cards. When I was a small boy,
Christmas was a time that every child looked forward to because it meant new
toys and new clothes. There was a popular song that used to play on radio with
the lyrics “Tell your mother, Happy Christmas, Tell your mother Happy New
Year”. This was a morale boosting song which every child liked.
Families bought crates of soft drinks,
chicken and rice. Chicken and rice is like the traditional Christmas meal for
many Zambians just like Turkey is for the British. Christmas period is a time
that a lot of chicken are slaughtered or bought. A lot of beer is bought
including a lot of soft drinks like Coca Cola, Fanta and Sprite for the kids
and those who do not drink beer.
With the current low rate of employment, a
few things have changed. Many people do not get so excited about Christmas.
Many households do not have a budget for partying on Christmas day. Others
would rather reserve the little money that they have for the school fees and
uniforms. Many people worry about January they have even nicknamed it “Jan-worry”.
In December many workers get paid earlier
than the other months. People who are normally paid at the end of the month are
paid as early as 15th or 20th December. This results in having a huge gap
before the next month end of January. This is slightly cushioned by the bonus
that they may get but not every one gets a good bonus.
Although many people would like not to
spend a lot during the festive period because of the challenges of January,
they are forced to do so because it seems like everyone is doing it. On top of
that the atmosphere everywhere you go, in the shops, at the market and the bar,
is full of celebration.
Even if you try to avoid these places and
decide to just stay at home, chances are that one or two of your neighbours
will be throwing a party and playing loud music. Your kids will start wondering
why everyone is having a good time and not them. This will definitely make
every parent sad. This could be the same reason why the woman at the beginning
of this article bought those two balloons for her kids.
There are two ways in which Christmas is
celebrated in Zambia. Many Christians believe it is a day when Jesus Christ was
born and they spend most of their time at Church. Then there is also those who
believe that Christmas day is a day when people must party.
The second lot may start drinking beer on
Christmas eve as early as 14:00 hours and go on throughout the night. It is
very common to see very drunk people on Christmas day as early as 06:00 hours.
Many people do not go home. They continue drinking until late afternoon on
Christmas day or when they run out of money.
Thieves enjoy this festive period. Many
people lose their items like phones, car stereos, wallets and even house
property through theft. A lot of road traffic accidents happen in the night due
to driving under the influence of alcohol. People are mugged while other end up
in fights.
There were incidents when bandits stormed
churches at night and robbed members of the congregation of their valuables.
This has resulted in many churches who prayed throughout the night to stop the
trend. Many churches now pray up to midnight or 23:00 hours. Christmas eve is a
time when the wise just stay home and wait for the following day if they have
to party.
Most of time when the New Year comes, many
people are broke. Only a few celebrate New Year with zeal. New Year’s eve is my
favourite time. I enjoy the count down,
the fireworks and sprinkling people with
my beer. I celebrate more on New Year’s eve because it gives me a reason to
celebrate. I know I have reached another
brand new year.
After the festive season now comes
“Jan-worry”. The month that everyone dreaded. School results are out and those
who have qualified to another school need new uniforms, books and school fees
must be paid before they are accepted. Many ordinary Zambians do not have fat
bank accounts because the low salaries. Regrets for spending money recklessly
last December start pouring in.
After the shop owners and bar owners have
had their share of the loot during the festive season, it is now the turn of
money lenders, locally known as “Shylocks”, to have their share too. People
have no option but to start borrowing money to solve their financial problems
caused by overzealous spending. These “Shylocks” demand 50% interest on the
money they lend out and it may take up to March for people to fully recover
from this financial malaise. This is repeated every year.
Image By Naito8 freedigitalphotos.net
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