Christmas in Nigeria follows some indigenous customs. Well in advance, people buy lots of hens, turkeys, goats and cows. The young in the family hover around the beasts, taunting and mostly gawking at them. On Christmas Eve, the animals are killed, and traditional meals are prepared from the meat. In Yoruba land, such meals usually include Iyan (pounded yam), eba or amala, served with peppery stewed vegetables. People have the same food more than once on the same day, as they are offered the same thing at every house they visit; and according to Yoruba customs, it was considered rude to decline to eat when offered food. Christmas food include rice served with chicken stew, (which is a bit similar to the Indian curry stew), Moin-moin (blended black eyed beans, mixed with vegetable oil and diced liver, prawns, chicken, fish and beef). The concoction is then wrapped in large leaves and then steamed until cooked.
Christmas in Nigeria has a tradition of decorating homes and churches with both woven and unwoven palm fronds. The Nigerians burst crackers and the Christmas tree is a well-decorated affair. The best thing about the Nigerian Christmas is that any one can personalize the festival according to his or her preferences. Stay connected to
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