Christmas is one of the biggest festivities that is celebrated every year all over the world.
Just like in other countries, Kenyan families celebrate the festive season by practising various traditions annually.
Here are some of the traditions families practice during Christmas;
Traveling Back Home
Every December, Kenyans rush to book vehicles to travel back to their ancestral homes to celebrate the festivities with their families.
More often than not, vehicles leaving Nairobi are usually sold out weeks before Christmas Day with others forced to look for alternative means of transportation such as trains and flights among others.
Kenyans who travel during this period also travel big with the buses often filled with goods for their families back home.
On the other hand, given the demand for space, vehicle owners often raise the fares by over 100 per cent to maximise on the high number of travelers planning to reunite with their families.
This often makes it difficult for Kenyans who are faced with financial difficulties.
Nonetheless, many still find ways of reaching their homes to reunite with their families.
Midnight Mandazis
There is nothing that beats the festivities than the overnight cooking.
As you visit many houses on Christmas Eve, you are unlikely to miss the sweet aroma of mandazi that many families cook overnight.
In most instances, these mandazis are cooked for Christmas Day breakfast as many families often want to rise up early to attend the church service.
However, some share in the scrumptious food as they wait overnight to stay awake till midnight.
Christmas Clothes
Among a number of families, Christmas cannot be complete until there are new clothes for the donned on that day.
This is common practice among children who often want their parents to get them the latest fashion trends to celebrate the day. Additionally, siblings often twin and wear the same clothes for the festivities.
However, the practice is slowly fading away as people grapple with the current economic constraints.
Family Meals
Food is one of the uniting factors for a number of families during the festivities.
Occasionally, various family units come together to cook for the larger extended families. On these occasions, cousins get to reunite and catch up on their progress for the year.
Some of the common food items cooked on that day include; chapati, roasted meat, rice, chicken and meat.
Additionally, a number of families also hold parties to celebrate their achievements throughout the year.
