There are approximately 350 million Christians in Africa. Christmas is celebrated all over Africa by Christians. Christmas songs are sung from the Congo to South Africa. On Christmas day, meats are roasted, presents are exchanged and family visits made. The Coptic Christians in Ethiopia and Egypt celebrate Christmas on the 6th of January (rather than the 25th of December), because just like the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, they follow the Julian Calendar.
During Christmas worship in Africa, one of the most significant things is the love offering to Jesus. And going to church is generally the main focus of Christmas celebrations in Africa. Nativity scenes are displayed, carols are sung and in some places dances are performed.
Christmas Decorations:
It is a common practice in African Christian communities to decorate shop fronts, mango trees, churches and homes for Christmas. You might find fake snow decorations, pine branches, and Christmas fir. Also other trees than the famous pine can be used as a Christmas tree; palm trees laden with candles and bells.
Christmas Dinner:
After attending church, the family Christmas meal is second priority for African Christians. Lunches and dinners are usually in local style. Spending time together with the beloved ones is the most important thing. Open air lunches of roasted goat are common in East Africa. Barbeques on the beaches of South Africa or according to traditions left behind by the British; with mince pies, turkey and plum pudding. In Ghana Christmas dinner will surely include fufu and okra soup, while Zimbabweans make sure there are plenty of bread, jam and tea to eat along with their goat meat.
Gift Giving:
African people do buy some gifts for relatives or beloved ones, but Christmas is not as commercial as in America. The prominence is more given to the sacred part of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, and gift giving is not very important. In rural Africa it is hard to come by a toy store, and even so it is often not affordable. Popular Christmas gifts usually are school books, soap, cloth, candles and other practical goods.
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