The holidays are here!
In Kenya, as it surely is around the world, this is a time for a few good old Christmas jingles, a couple of warm Christmas movies; a time for hearty laughs with friends and family, good food, and, of course, the twins: gin and tonic.
But just how fun, or reflective, will Christmas be for Kenyans this year?
Will we usher in the holidays with as much frenetic energy and pomp as in years past, buying up a storm, with the now-legendary traffic jams snaking out of cities, clogging up the roads for days as everyone leaves for upcountry homes in whichever town they’re from?
Probably not.
2020, the year of years, has put much in perspective for all of us.
With the pandemic scuttling all our collective plans, things will be different this year.
First off, the 10am – 4pm curfew will see to it that most Kenyans will have to make do with a dull-to-zero night life. Well, I say most, because if the past few months are anything to go by, the rule only applies to – ahem – regular mwananchi, but really, not the elites. For most of us though, a cold Tusker will have to be ordered in. So no club-hopping this year, folks, which is kind of sad, because hopping from one bar to the next always seemed symbolic to me, you know, sort of like how Jesus’ parents moved from one inn to the other. I know, the inn-hopping reasons back then were very different of course, however, beware, though you won’t sleep in a manger, don’t stay out too long past curfew or a police cell might just find you!
And while it is tradition for most Kenyans to travel upcountry for the holidays, this will certainly be scrapped off the list too.
So, who else is up for Christmas spent solo right in the middle of the city with Tusker baridi ordered in? Eh, not that bad right?
Well, we Kenyans have always proven ourselves as quite an innovative lot. Happy Holidays folks! In 2021 we will rise again
