Reviving the family get-together festive culture

As Malawians become more westernised, the joyous tradition of spending Christmas with the extended family is slowly dying. What was the significance of sharing Christmas with the family and how can we revive it? Mwereti Kanjo asks.

Over the past few years the tradition of celebrating with the large extended family seems to die down.

Can we rediscover those simple yet pleasurable ways of celebrating Christ’s birth or are we much too late?

Pastor Towera Masiku of Word Alive Ministries says Christ was not just born but was born into a family, the one reason that makes Christmas celebrations with the family so significant.

She says the power is in our hands as a nation to go back to what she terms ‘original times’.

According to Masiku,people have become so self-oriented, they are always looking at how they will personally benefit during Christmas.

“There are a lot of reasons why people now tend to focus on themselves during Christmas; one of them being that the spirit of business has taken over. People are looking into how to make money and forgetting their families in the process. But Jesus was born into a family and as a result we need to eat together. We would share responsibilities amongst families, as these symbolise unity.

“But today people are asking ‘what is in it for me?’ forgetting that time spent with loved ones is treasure on its own. No one is buying gifts anymore. Gifts date back to the actual birth of Jesus. So give out this Christmas, take the initiative and invite family and friends to share this amazing time in our Christian life,” said Masiku.

Memory Manjombe, who writes columns on family and marriage says parents must take the leading role in reminding their children  what Christmas is all about as most children do not understand the story behind it because of the changing times

“You find that children are watching Tom and Jerry instead of going to Sunday School like we used to. We used to take gifts to church to share with friends. The lost Christmas spirit has taken with it the joys of giving,” observes Manjombe.