This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
Christmas is a time for celebration and joy, but for many Kenyans, it's also a time for chaos and confusion. As the holiday season approaches, many urbanites are preparing to travel to their rural homes, bringing with them a mix of excitement and chaos.
For those who live in the city, Christmas is often a time for parties and celebrations, but for those who live in the villages, it's a time for family and tradition. As one Kenyan put it, 'To the children of the rich, it is a day to receive gifts and party. To their village counterparts, it is a day to dress in their Sunday best and munch delicacies they hardly eat throughout the year like chapati, biriani, chicken or cake.'
But for urbanites, especially those from Nairobi, Christmas can be a time for awkward encounters and cultural clashes. As one resident joked, 'Urbanites, especially Nairobians, will stand out in the villages like a sore thumb. They will be showing off to villagers their new or hired cars. You will see many walk around with bottled water. Others just won’t keep car keys in their pockets. Yet others will insist on speaking in English to villagers.'
And it's not just the language barrier that can cause problems. Urbanites are often seen as outsiders in the villages, and their behavior can be quite amusing. As one resident laughed, 'There will be pretentious ‘slay queens’ who won’t stop complaining about how smoky the village kitchen is. Never mind these are the same girls who smoke shisha in Nairobi like their life depends on it.'
But despite the chaos and confusion, Christmas is also a time for family and tradition. As one Kenyan put it, 'This is when the man of God rips off churchgoers with impromptu fundraisers, especially when he notices Nairobians’ chubby and glowing faces in attendance.'
And for some, Christmas is a time for reflection and nostalgia. As one resident said, 'Around this time, our children take us back to that special place the festivities held in our hearts until we grew up and realised Santa was a commercial gimmick.'
