Top five pre-holiday traditions practiced by Kenyans

While Christmas is a holy day that marks the birth of Jesus who Christians believe to be the Son of God, Kenyans also use the holiday as an opportunity to tour their villages and catch up with friends and relatives. (Although there are more whole big families now living in cities so they don't have to travel!) It is usually a time for family and merrymaking.

Houses and churches are often decorated with colourful balloons, ribbons, paper decorations, flowers and green leaves.

In cities and large towns, stores usually have fake snow outside them! And there might be a Santa in the stores as well.

For the season, there are pre-holiday traditions that Kenyans have observed for decades and won’t be going away anytime soon.

The boys’ cut

Days before Christmas are usually packed with circumcision activities. Most Kenyan communities use the month of December as an opportunity to circumcise their boys.

For instance, in the Bukusu community, young males are taken to a river at 3 am, where their bodies are smeared with mud.

The community considers it to be a form of anesthesia and a way of cleansing the young men.

On their way from the river, a traditional song called “sioyoya” is sung to which the boys must dance until they arrive at the circumcision site.

Traditions dictate that women should not allowed anywhere near the site as it is believed to be a taboo.

After the cut, the boys are taken to their respective houses where they will stay until they recuperate.

In the urban centres the procedure is usually done free at clinics, community health centres and church settings across the country.

Kenyans visiting rural homes

Majority of Kenyans consider it a taboo not to visit their rural homes during Christmas as that has been the tradition for many years.

Kenyans customarily start travelling to their homes at the beginning of December to spend the entire month there until after the New Year’s merriments.

The Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) is usually a beehive of activities as people throng the city to find transport to their villages. Due to the high number of travellers during this period, public transport operators usually make a killing by hiking prices.

Decorations and photos

In the urban settings, upscale shopping malls, luxury hotels and other businesses are usually decorated with Christmas colours, and they entertain their customers with seasonal Christmas carols ahead of the big day.

In the rural areas, people wear new clothes and hire photographers to capture the special moments.

Night ‘keshas’ and vigils

Kenyans are also popular with attending night vigils before Christmas Day as they find it right to connect and thank God for the year. 

On the eve of Christmas, most churches in Kenya hold night vigils as worshipers celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Some churches especially the Catholic Church even go to the extent of dramatising the whole story of the birth of Christ as presented in the Bible.

The night vigil, popularly known as ‘Kesha’, is eagerly anticipated by the young people as well.

Churches habitually ring bells at midnight to mark the birth of Christ, while worshipers dance, cheer and sing praise songs to mark the start of the much-anticipated day.

Other people choose to buy essentials by visiting children homes and celebrate festivities with the less privileged in society.

 

Special food, alcohol and local brews

Christmas presents Kenyans with an opportunity, especially in the rural areas, to eat special meals that are otherwise deemed expensive under normal circumstances.

Families in December prepare for Christmas festivities by going on shopping sprees. Popular foods bought during this period include meat and ‘chapati’ among others.

Others spare their fattest livestock for the festivities.

Millions of litres of alcohol are also consumed during this season. People who choose to celebrate the holiday in urban centres go to bars and restaurants to enjoy their favorite drinks.

In the rural areas people usually prepare gallons of their local brew, which is enjoyed as families reunite.

These drinks include, ‘changaa’, ‘muratina’ and ‘busaa’ among others.