| '...Remember the days when the night was long and wouldn't end becoz you wanted to wake up on Christmas day to hear and say "Christmas Box", but the biggest part of it all was to put on ones new clothes. I loved it back in the village bread was bought by the dozens, plenty of sun jam to go around and stork margarine to top it up. these where the days when rice and chicken was really a special meal for this was the only time of year you could have a full portion as a kid.'
'...I remember eating chicken on Christmas days and wearing new clothes on the same day. Now I am fed up with chicken coz I eat it every time I want.'
'...Remember when we used to make swans out of jacaranda pods? We spray painted the pods gold or silver and poured a whole bottle of glitter on them while they were still wet. Then we twisted on a pip cleaner for the neck. What on earth swans have to do with Christmas, I still have no idea. It made good decorations at the time though. That and little pieces of cotton wool for snow!'
'Talk about Christmas, talk about new years eve, talk about Easter pungwe at "church", talk about show time, well I think those were the few days at home when there was no curfew…'
'...I remember one Xmas when me and my friends had planned to roam around the township in Maglas Zvishavane, eating at every opportunity. All my friends were dressed in trousers and I didn't have some so they refused to go with me. I cried my heart out till my Mother gave me my big brother's trousers. It was double the size and so she tied it up so it wouldn't fall. I was the happiest boy among the group as the other guys allowed me to join the squad. Those were the days then…'
'...As I was growing up I really enjoyed Christmas, in November we would start looking for the famous "christmas clothes" and these were a must have for all the kids in the neighbourhood. The special attire, all new from head to toe would be worn on the special day and i personally could not wait! When the day itself came we would wake up early and get dressed then take to the streets to show off.'
' ...There was the special lunch of rice and chicken and all the treats to come. Christmas was the best day of the year whether it was celebrated in the city or "kumusha", as a lot of people would go to the rural areas for the festive season.'
'...You would know when Christmas came, the centenary park would let you know… All the sweet carols sang, the smell of knew clothes all over town…'
'...I remember my Uncle Koos used to kill a cow for Christmas and there was so much to eat and drink, you didn't know what to do with yourself. We never ever got presents but with the atmosphere around us we never missed not having pressies. AHH! the good old days!
'... I still remember during those hey days in rural homes when people were buying three dozens of bread and 4 creates of soft drinks. Every family had something to slaughter during that time. By 2pm you could see dozens of people loitering around the shops some dancing some fighting over girlfriends/boyfriends.
'...Remember how sometime in the night before Christmas it would rain or on Christmas afternoon. After that wonderful meal of chicken, oxtail, potato, salad, coleslaw, beetroot, macaroni and cheese, greens, sometimes turkey, patties, roast, potatoes, fruit punch, trifle, pudding, sweets, fizzy drinks, cakes - Gosh those were good times indeed!'
'...The soil smell of wet mud and grass would fill the air, and for those who lived in Redcliff going to watch the overflow at Cactus Dam was a real treat on Christmas day. Then the parties, going to all your friends houses remember…?'
'...Going kumusha with dozen of bread,sun jam &margarine choiswa murusero tomwa tea on christmas day. Totandanisa huku yokangwa todya nemupunga. Toenda kutownship kunotenga machoice assorted biscuits, fanta and cherryplum. Oh those were the days.' |
