Changing face of Christmas in era of technology

For people who grew up before technology took over, the magic of Christmas memories will never be replaced.

Childhood was defined by counting days before enthusiastic teenagers scoured their neighbourhood, pangas in hand, in search of the most succulent Cyprus trees in the bushes.

The stinging thorns and wet grass beneath bare feet only acted as motivation to explore further past stumps left behind by other scouts who had preceded them in the treasure hunt for “Christmas trees.”

The trees would be decorated with lumps of cotton, a representation of snow. For affluent homes, a string of coloured bulbs that lit intermittently completed the look. For those who could not afford the bulbs, the trees would be bathed in crepe paper.

In the village, every corner of freshly plastered mud hovels had a tree delicately balancing on an old tin of soil.

The revolving doors of time have flung the fresh tree tradition and replaced it with imported plastic trees that come with a manual on installation.

“There are people who will never know the thrill that came with finding a trick to make the fresh Christmas tree balance on a small tin for a whole week, because we would keep the trees up till new year,” says Tom Oman on his Facebook page.

The preparations were elaborate. In the village, it would be the time to get fresh cow dung to plaster walls, and wet aloe vera leaves that would give elaborate patterns. By mid-December, people would pull out dusty boxes that had stacks of cassettes with Christmas carols. It only took a little rewinding – placing a pen in the holes of the cassette and spinning continuously – to reset to the first song.

In no time, people would be belting out Boney M’s Mary’s Boy Child and Little Drummer boy, ignoring the scratches that came with incessant rewinding and poor handling.

Nothing beats the joy that would follow the cake baking session. A jiko, lemon rinds, a lot of cocoa, sand to create an oven and two sufurias was all it took to bake. That was way before apps that can deliver cake at the touch of a button were invented.

Travel was still as messy as it is now; but the confusion was on how to fit the mattresses, chairs and televisions to impress the rural folk. Sights of rickety buses wavering unsteadily as urbanites made their last minute rush to villages dominated the road.

Now, it is no longer necessary. Villages now boast of huge malls and luxuries that compare with those in major towns. Local tailors tapping away on their old machines as disappointed and impatient customers waiting for their Christmas dresses is also a thing of the past.

The market is now flocked with cheap jeans imported from China, and tailors stare idly as people make way with their shiny, skin tight suits straight from Eastleigh in Nairobi.

Soda and chapati that used to solidify the Christmas memories no longer hold children’s interest. Business people who started making the once holy grail of Christmas every morning made young noses immune to the sweet aroma that wafted from the meals whose preparation was an annual ritual reserved for December in most households. 

Even the ‘keshas’ that people would attend as they waited for the birth of Christ is no longer popular. Young people would rather cuddle on the couch and watch TV than step out to spend hours in church dancing to carols. Gone too are the friendly drinking binges which at times turned nasty as inebriated brothers and cousins turned against each other to settle imaginary scores.

“Insecurity has risen during Christmas season, so not so many people want to step out. You are better off staying home,” says Irene Njoki, a teacher who plans to stay home this Christmas.

Father Stephen Okello, a lecturer at the Catholic University says the traditions that once held Christmas continually get eroded as people get more affluent.

“When we were growing up, church was a social place that provided space for worship and interaction. There weren’t many entertainment joints, unlike today where almost every home has a television and there are also a lot of bars,” he says.

He adds that the religious meaning of Christmas has not changed but it is people’s value that has been shifting and leaning more towards materialism.

Christmas messages, complete with photos has also phased out the tradition of sending cards.

But the biggest casualty is the village photographer, who had to be booked weeks in advance to immortalize the annual noisy family gatherings. This Christmas hundreds of people will be roaming the paths clutching their selfie sticks ready to snap away at everything and everybody.