Bring back the good old Christmas

Though I did not grow up in a typical Ghanaian village, anytime the thought of Christmas comes to mind, it brings back some nostalgic memories. Memories that have lasted decades and yet are still fresh like yesterday. Grant me the latitude to share a few with you. Come with me as I take you back into memory lane.

I grew up in Asokwa, a middle-class community located in the Ashanti region, the second largest city in Ghana, West Africa. On that day, Christmas was a big deal not because it was a major event on the Christian calendar in Ghana but largely because of the attention we receive as children. I wish I can turn back the hand of time because back then Christmas popularly known as “Bronya” was the most important occasion in Ghana. I take you back to the days when anyone you meet greets you “afehyia pa” (in twi) or “afi oo, afi” (in Ga) meaning happy new year.

The fun fairs

“Bronya” was a time of merry-making and excitement as children. I remember in those days, children in the area will gather, sometimes with a “Susu box” (money box), and then move from one house to the other requesting for our Christmas gifts from our parents.

It was always a fulfilling moment because we had parents and sometimes strangers willingly donating. That was born out of the fact that most people knew it was a time to give to one another. It was a time to show love.

Christmas also created the opportunity for friends and family members who for various reasons traveled out of our jurisdiction to come back home to ignite the spirit of love and friendship. Families had the rare opportunity to reunite with those who traveled out of the country for greener pastures. We used to call them “Borga” (to wit Burger).

The term was coined out of the word “Burger”. In those days, Hamburg, a city in Germany was the preferred travel destination for a lot of Ghanaians, especially musicians. Most of these travelers would return home during Christmas and in our attempt to call them Hamburgers, we ended up calling them “Borgars”.

I remember very well the Christmas heart which is locally known as the “Bronya apata”. It was a makeshift room made with palm fronds. On the 24th night, there were activities like car tyre burning throughout the night which was termed in the local dialect as “ap3sire”. It was a night of the bonfire, indigenous storytelling, and all kinds of games including “pilolo” and “penpenaa”.

I can’t forget the memories of throwing firecrackers popularly known in Ghana as knockouts. The hustle and bustle at the various bus terminals was an annual ritual. The scramble for popular buses like STC, Neoplan, City Express (Predominantly Tata buses), and OSA buses was a common feature then on every 24th December. The very reason Kaakyire Kwame Appiah shot into the limelight with his 24th bangers.

For some of us, what made Christmas worth celebrating was the delicacies our mothers prepared in the yuletide. It was only during Christmas that we had the privilege to eat jollof rice and chicken. Until Christmas, we were denied. Depending on the financial status of the home, other families settled for local dishes like fufu and palm nut, groundnut, or light soup, but obviously not without chicken.

For this reason, my mother will buy chicks at least 6 months before Christmas and begin to meticulously and strategically feed them, especially in preparation for the occasion.

Interestingly, there are times that some of the young guys in the community conspired to steal some of the fouls during Christmas. And of course, that dastardly act required someone with special skills to succeed. We used to call it “akokcpc”. As if the thievery wasn’t enough, we also had hawks visiting us at home purposely to snatch some of the chicks. Nonetheless, we still had at least two or three readies for the occasion. And oh, I remember the love that was shown back in the day if you lived in a compound house.

On the 26th which is boxing day, neighbors who were blessed to cook that special Christmas food will go into their “dividers” (room dividers) to pick the nicest cooking utensils and serve meals to be given to their neighbors. In short, whether you cook or not, your loving neighbor will bless you with their Christmas meal.

Attire

For middle-class and high-class families, Christmas was a time to exhibit affluence and spend on their children but for families within the low class, it presented a huge responsibility on their shoulders. For families within this category, the festive season came with a burden.

Parents had to work harder and longer hours for extra income to cater to the entire family. For many, Christmas without a new dress for their children was a shame. Most parents would do anything and everything to buy or sew new dresses for themselves and their children.

I recall how handsome I looked in my up-and-down attire. My siblings and I would have our small bags with our brony spectacles moving from one family member to the other. The beautiful part of these visitations was the wealth we accrued throughout the visits. Every family member who visited would give you an amount of money or food as a Christmas gift.

I really miss the old Christmas when we all belonged to one society regardless of class, tribe, gender, or color. I miss the days when communal activities brought us together as one big family. Bring back the good old Christmas when children saw no alcohol, betting, or mental nudity on television.
I miss those moments and the very people I spent time with. If you were part of my childhood journey, “I miss the moments we spent together”.