Dear Santa,
Merry Christmas in advance to you.
While 2024 has been a lot, showing me shege here and there, it still gives me great pleasure to write you this letter as we get into the festive season. Lately, I’ve been reminiscing on how Christmas used to be. As a child, I looked forward to the Christmas season with great joy and excitement. Growing up on the outskirts of Lagos, in a predominantly bushy estate, the first sign of the festive season was the arrival of the hazy harmattan weather, the type common in the North. Reliving those memories gives me nostalgia.
One of my favourite things during the holidays was firing bangers (fireworks). However, I had an unforgettable experience one Christmas when I was about 11 or 12 years old. One of the bangers I threw towards a bushy area caught fire and spread rapidly due to the harmattan winds. Luckily, it did not reach the houses nearby, and the fire was quickly extinguished with buckets of water, with the help of my neighbours. After that incident, I vowed never to throw bangers again.
Christmas Day always started on an interesting note, with carols playing on the DVD player in the living room. However, it was never complete without my father’s high-spirited energy. I remember the morning excitement as he prepared to slaughter the chickens we had home-grown all year long. I will later join my sister and mother in the kitchen to prepare the chicken alongside our signature Christmas dish, Jollof Rice. After hours of cooking, the evening ended with us eating together, gisting and watching movies.
Sadly, since my father died in 2009, Christmas has never been the same. I miss him. I miss the good, old days. I remember how gloomy Christmas was the year he passed on. He died in mid-November and was buried the first week of December. I had barely grieved properly when Christmas came knocking and the memories came rushing back. Christmas made me finally accept that he was gone forever.
As a child, Christmas was my best time of the year. From the weather and food to being surrounded by family, the memories remain etched in my heart forever. I won’t trade those times for anything in this world. My siblings are across continents and now Christmas feels completely different, especially for a single pringle like me who has no family of her own yet.
If I could ask for anything from you, Santa, it would be the perfect opportunity to relieve those memories again. I dealt with a lot in 2024 that put my mental health at stake. Hence, I believe selecting me for this fun and exciting day with Breather Renaissance will not only help me feel like a child again but also help me end the year in good spirits.
Thank you, Santa, and I look forward to being surprised by you. Merry Christmas once again.
Yours sincerely,
Odubanjo Anu.
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The BellaNaija #FeelLikeAChild campaign, in collaboration with BreatherNG, presents the perfect opportunity for people to let go of adulthood, let their hair down and ‘play’ like a child for a day. Today with BreatherNG, we’re creating an unforgettable experience for 5 winners and their plus one this December.
