Time to be merry, and wary
So, it is that time of the year again. Already I can feel the yuletide and New Year mood in the air. Already, the Christmas trees are all over the place and shops are calling us to buy from them for they have slashed prices for their goods.
Well, this is the time some shops make a killing from very shady and shody price cuts! They capitalise on our propensity to spend during this period to lead us into the temptation of buying even that which we don’t need.
Like a good friend of mine ‘statused’ her WhatsApp and Facebook profiles the other day: “The Christmas season is a time of a goodwill. It is not a time for work to distract you from having drinks…. Neither should drinks distract you from work!”
Ironically, it was a time government announced civil servants were going on an extended festive holiday. How I envy dudes in the private sector!
You know, the parties are rolling. It is time for the music to flow like a living stream. Obviously, the music comes with beers, wines, ciders, whiskies and other intoxicating spirits. The jive has just begun. The vibe only rolling.
For some, this may be their first Christmas since they downed their first alcoholic beverage. It is a time some people who have never had the freedom to go out do so.
Oftentimes, these adventures have ended up being disastrous and, utmost, fatal! I wouldn’t want to be a statistic of Christmas or New Year fun gone awry!
Then, you have dear friends who take the drink and drive matter to another level. These cruise and drive recklessly to their injury, loss of property and death. This is unnecessary in the name of fun.
It may seem like unwarranted, but then this is the time for one and all to at least condomise. With lots of drinks flowing, it is easy for one to fail to locate the pocket in which one put their protection. Drinks have that urge, at times, to make poor judgments. Take care!
And then, while we are at it, there is this issue of charity. It is pleasing to my ear that some artists are preparing charity events over the festivities. For one, Piksy is having a no-longer-in-use toys drive. Christmas is a time for sharing and caring. It is great Piksy is acting the Robin Hood—getting from the well-to-do to distribute to the poor. Only that he is not stealing.
I guess more artists are in charity events. Show you care!
As Santa Claus starts dropping the gifts down chimneys, I am concerned with the absence of street bashes this year. You know, these bashes bring fun lovers from different walks of life together during the festive period. And, the melange of artists coming to perform together!
For the artists, it is also time to reflect on the gains in the ending year. The times have been hard for Malawians, including artists but it is time the artists looked at how they, like camouflages are changing colours to suit the harshly changing economic times. As the harsh economy is shooting more poisonous arrows, artists need to learn to fly higher like the proverbial bird Chinua Achebe saw.
At the end of the day, we all have to remember that when everything is said and done, there is General January when the fun is done.
Albeit too early, in all, let me wish y’all a pretty merry Christmas. A Christmas where you don’t worry, but are very wary that you don’t end in trouble. And may your New Year be one filled with prosperity and joy.
