Signs of the Holidays

I have always associated the beginning of the Christmas season with the start of Advent. Christmas was also associated as coming some time after the start of the snow. Once it felt like winter, Christmas could come. Seeing as Advent is not even mentioned in my church and snow is unlikely to occur when it is over 30 degrees outside, I have had to find some new signs of the holidays.

For one, all the women are getting their hair done. Not just some women. It seems every female in the country has had their hair plaited in the last week. I'm told that this is what happens - as soon as school ends the women and girls get their hair done and then in January, when school reopens, they will all return with short hair.

There is also another less pleasant aspect of the holidays. Since the children aren't at school they are put to work and, as a result, child labour skyrockets. If you go to the markets or walk down the streets these days the sellers are not men and women they are little boys and girls. I guess that is what is necessary for lots of people to survive, although it doesn't make the reality any more pleasant

Certainly not all the children are working and so there are many more children around in the community. If they go to Chimwemwe, they yell out "Mr. Eppu, Mr. Eppu, how are you?" I far prefer being "Eppu" or "Eppo" or "Apple" then simply anonymous muzungu so this is a positive development.

The rain was also supposed to be a sign that Christmas was coming but the rainy season has yet to set in here. I saw on a map that the rest of the country has had normal rains except for a narrow band in them middle which includes Lusaka. It is still far too hot, and still no rain.

Celebrating Christmas here will, I'm sure, be full of interesting surprises. My family has asked me to make them a turkey so I will try my hand at that. I'm not quite sure what a Zambian Christmas dish is or, for that matter, any of what a Zambian Christmas entails. I've asked a couple of times but the answer isn't very clear. I'm guessing that it will be a more church-oriented Christmas than what has often happened in the past, but even that is only speculation. So I'll wait and see and find out what the festive season has in store.