Hey Santa,
I think of my fondest holiday memory and I remember vividly the smells, sights, feels and all the emotions.
I wasn’t always very excited for the holiday period as a child, because the weather triggered a lot of allergies, but that didn’t stop me from having a good time. I remember the smell of food filling the house, and my cousins coming over. Before the end of November, Grandpa had brought out the Christmas tree, Mummy brought out the decorations and we decorated; my siblings and I putting our own unique spins. I remember all the Christmas parties I attended that year; there were a lot, and the party packs, bouncing castles and mascots still bring a smile to my face.
I’ll never forget the preparations for the Christmas party in school. As always, Mum cut a piece of broom to know my shoe size. My legs have always been long since I was a kid (justice for we long-legged girlies!), and there were funky sunglasses. As always, I was part of the school choir. On Christmas day, I remember baking a fruit cake and excited it turned out well.
Once it was the 25th of November, the streets would be filled with the brightest Christmas decorations, and businesses trying to outdo each other. Only a week ago, I was walking down the street with Mum and we talked about how many businesses hadn’t decorated, possibly choosing to let go to cut costs.
And that’s only one of the many things that seems different from that Christmas. It was simple like many other Christmases, but so beautiful. Now, it seems all the beauty is lost in the day-to-day hustle of trying to build a life, immense workload and inflation. My family and friends are scattered around the world.
A lot of times, I forget that joy isn’t defined by my circumstances, and that’s what I wish to feel even now: joy. I want to feel the joy I did back then. I want people to keep hope alive because a lot of people are losing hope. There’s plenty of reason to celebrate, and I wish that we all get to see and experience it, despite all of these current unpleasant realities.
Love,
Adebisi.
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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. Together with BreatherNG, we’re creating an unforgettable experience for 5 winners and their plus one this December.
