Spending my Holiday with Family and Friends was gratifying!!!

The holidays in Nigeria are often looked forward to, even if for nothing else but a period of rest. The average Nigerian is a workaholic, always catching up with or running from something. Would you blame us when a thousand naira note is like a million to the broke man and a ₦50 note means next to nothing?

This situation thus requires a frugal lifestyle, for even the rich have tears welled up in their eyes. I have enjoyed her Christmas and New Year festivals for the past two years, as I make them coincide with my annual leave, and for this very recent one, I got to spend only four weeks out of six. Nonetheless, I would say I got to rest and spend reasonable time with my family and maybe a few friends.

---

---

Being a holiday period, mobility for me got reduced since I chose to stay indoors most times rather than seek whom to visit or engage in activities that may not be too beneficial. Occasionally, I just compound my visits to friends into a day of my choice rather than having to go out each day. Here, I agree that in the face of hardship, a subconscious coping strategy comes to light, and we begin to devise means to adapt to the new state of things. Thankfully, a few people who requested support, especially financially, understood that the economy is unfavorable and when one is unable to help, it should not be held against such an individual. Thus, I get to separate the important from those I could find an excuse for. All in all, the holiday is not just a period of rest from physical stress but also from mental stress, which many of us are unconsciously battling with.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FAMILY

I really wanted to travel to Warri (at least 10 hours by road) during this last holiday; however, I got ganged up against by my mom, who showed reluctance to me traveling, and my brother, who, understandably, is mostly busy at his workplace as uniformed personnel. I consoled myself with sleep, wake, eat, and sleep patterns. In fact, I moved over to my family house to enjoy free food and 24 hours of power supply (thankful for the solar system I installed at the family house). Another brother of mine equally arrived for the holidays (not the uniformed personnel), and we used the opportunity to bond and catch up. We've realized that, as adults, we have become more distant and busy with life, having less time to bond as a family. Family is a blessing, and irrespective of how distant we may be, we are often glad to have one another.

For a change of wardrobe, my mom and I went shopping for clothing materials, and even though my budget was about ₦20, 000, I eventually spent ₦35, 000 to buy clothes. This way, I ensured my mom, my younger sister, two of my older brothers (leaving out my brother in Warri), and myself got at least a piece of clothing for the festive period. My younger sister was elated when I made a video call to her and, surprisingly, asked her to choose two pieces, which I eventually picked for her. Thankfully, I got the materials at the cheapest price since the vendor deals in wholesale and retail. Here, I got my mind satiated about the impact on family during the festive season.

What's Christmas without a chicken? I remember a fellow Hivian lamenting how she was asked to pay ₦15, 000 for a live chicken that was not fat in Lagos. Lagos City in Nigeria is a different ball game. I call Lagos a country on its own. I did not bother to go after live chicken during this festive period, knowing fully well the prices would be "festive-hiked," and thus, I walked up to the frozen store I usually patronize and got a 2.7 kilogram of chicken for ₦6900 for Christmas, and since we were just five in the house, it sufficed us for the period, and just a day before the new year, I got a 1.1 kilogram of chicken for ₦2,800 to top up with that which remained.

---

We have a coconut tree in my family compound, which thankfully bore many ripe fruits, and I plucked a few, went through the stress of removing the covering shaft of the coconut, and went on a sale spree to distribute to friends and loved ones. A coconut in Nigeria costs between ₦400 and ₦800. I made some available for my family and painfully had a slight cut in my ring finger while removing the coconut shell before consumption. All in all, I felt glad I was doing something good for family and friends.

For those that care, January in Nigeria is a trying month. This is because December salary is often paid in the middle of the month and is expected to last the individual till the end of January, or, in some cases, the first week of February. So, rather than get financially exhausted and carried away by the expenses of the festive period, the slow month of January has kicked in, and soon enough, we'll have needs and wants requiring attention and inconveniences. Hive is, for many of us, a saving grace and a means of livelihood.
My appreciation goes out to @terganftp for his interest in the affairs of Africa and for always being open to having a view of life from another continent.

Happy New Year, great friends! I'm sure the year will bring breakthroughs for us.

Thank you for reading. I would love to have your comments and contributions.

Posted Using InLeo Alpha