Christmas in Africa

Christmas is celebrated throughout the African continent by Christian communities large and small. There are approximately 350 million Christians in Africa. On Christmas day carols are sung from Ghana on down to South Africa. Meats are roasted, gifts are exchanged and family visits made. The Coptic Christians in Ethiopia and Egypt celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December in their calendar, which is the 7th of January for most of the rest of us. Kwanzaa is not celebrated in Africa, as it's an African-American holiday. And unless you're in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, there's little chance of anyone enjoying a white Christmas in Africa. Even in some of Africa's predominantly Muslim countries, Christmas is still marked for celebration. In Dakar, Senegal's capital, hawkers are happy to sell plastic trees and inflatable santas. "While secularism may mean elsewhere that each person is free to celebrate his or her own holidays, many in Senegal have interpreted it to mean they should celebrate all holidays."

Those who can afford it will generally give gifts at Christmas but the holiday is not nearly as commercial as it is in Europe or the Americas. The emphasis is more on the religious aspect of celebrating the birth of Jesus and singing in church, than it is on gift giving. The most common thing bought at Christmas is a new set of clothes to be worn to the church service. Many Africans are too poor to be able to afford presents for their kids and there aren't too many toy stores in rural Africa to shop at anyway. If gifts are exchanged in poorer communities they usually come in the form of school books, soap, cloth, candles and other practical goods.

As in most Christian cultures, celebrating Christmas dinner with friends and family tops the list after attending church. In most countries Christmas is a public holiday and people take the opportunity to visit friends and family. In East Africa goats are quickly snapped up at the local markets and roasted on Christmas day. In South Africa the sun is hot and the beaches are full of families enjoying braais (bbq's) or traditional Christmas dinners with paper hats, mince pies, turkey and plum pudding (a vestige of the British colonial legacy.) In Ghana Christmas dinner is not complete without fufu and okra soup and in Liberia rice, beef and biscuits are the order of the day. Zimbabweans make sure there's plenty of bread, jam and tea to eat along with their goat meat.

Decorating shop fronts, mango trees, churches and homes is common throughout African Christian communities. You may see fake snow decorating store fronts in Nairobi, palm trees laden with candles in Ghana, or oil palms loaded with bells in Liberia.

Etiquette while on Safari

In the middle of Africa, things run very differently from at home. It’s very important to be sensitive to your surroundings, both cultural and environmental – not only will it make your safari experience more enjoyable, but it will also have substantially less impact on the animals you’re viewing and your hosts.

Here are some tips for anyone going on safari:

• Be as quiet possible at all times (this is extra important if you’re considering taking small children on safari). Avoid making any noise that will attract or frighten wildlife.
• Be as unobtrusive as possible: wear the neutral coloured clothing (khaki, white, light brown) while walking in the bush.
• Dress and behave respectfully to avoid offending local people.
• Do not litter – everything you carry in you must carry out. Aside from the environmental damage, litter can be harmful to the wildlife. Waste disposal can be difficult in remote areas – remove all unnecessary packaging before you travel.
• Don’t encourage your guide to take you too close to the animals or to change the driving route; they will feel pressured. Remember that they are the professionals and know best.
• Never pick plants and flowers.
• Obey all game laws and regulations, and respect the fact that your guide must also obey these rules.
• Do not buy or trade for any articles covered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). These include ivory, turtle products, rhino horn, furs, butterflies and many plant species.

• Support the community by buying locally crafted souvenirs. Haggling is expected, but be aware that what may seem to be a very small sum to you can make a big difference to a local, so don’t force them into reducing their prices too drastically.
• If you wish to make a charitable donation – such as writing equipment for students – it’s better to give through a local organisation or school, as handing things out on the street encourages begging.
• As a courtesy, ask before you take a picture of someone, but think twice if they request payment.
• Be aware that water is a scarce resource in many places, so use it very sparingly. Sign up to Tourism Concern’s WET pledge to support the organisation’s campaign to ensure water rights are protected.

By observing these suggestions (many of which are simply common sense), you’ll find yourself at ease with locals and your surroundings. Avoiding tension or embarrassment with the locals, and respecting the animals and their habitat will mean that your safari holiday is a better experience for all involved.