It was the first week of the month of December. I was in school looking forward to the holiday break. My dad called me

"Hello Dad" I said

"When are you coming back for the holidays?" he asked

"I'll be coming by next week"

"Good. We will be going to our hometown for the holidays. We will celebrate Christmas and New year there" he said.

I was shocked and happy at the same time. It had been a long while since we last visited our hometown. I had always wanted to go there, but with how busy we were with our lives in the city, years passed and we couldn't visit.

I wondered what made my dad decide we should go to our hometown this time.

"Perhaps, he misses home as much as I do" I thought to myself.

I left school the next week and when I got to the house, I could see luggages and bags packed already. My family was already getting ready to travel.

"Everything is already packed" I said to my sister who I met in the house as I arrived.

"Well, not everything. We still have to pack some foodstuff and some crucial supplies" my sister said.

"I guess I should get to work packing my own things too" I replied.

The next day, we loaded everything in the car, and we began our journey.

Source

I could see the excitement on my siblings' face. They couldn't contain it, and rightly so. My uncles and their families were also coming, so it would be a full house. My cousins were going to be there and that means, there will be so much fun.

The last time there was such a gathering in our hometown, it was an unforgettable experience. We had so much fun with our cousins. They were funny and lovely to be around. I looked forward to seeing them.

The journey was an unexpectedly long one. I didn't remember it being that long the last time. Maybe it seemed this way to me because I hadn't taken that journey in a long time. Eventually we got into my hometown, the heart of Abia state, Nigeria.

The roads were really busy with people and cars, as is usually the case during that time of the year. My hometown is a big one. It is a village, with a huge influx of natives towards the end of the year. Traveling to the village at the end of the year is a tradition in that part of Nigeria.

When we got to the family house, we were welcomed by family members who were already there. I was so happy seeing my cousins again.

"You've grown so big Nancy." I said to one of my cousins.

"You too Victor. You were tall back then but now, you've grown even taller." Nancy said.

It was a full house. Everyone was busy catching up as they hadn't seen each other in years. A few hours after settling in, I, my siblings, and my cousins wasted no time in going out. It was the beginning of the fun we wanted.

We went sightseeing. Particularly, I wanted to see how the environment had changed over the years. I noticed how most of the houses were still the old houses I knew, but there were a few new ones. I observed the women tilling the soil in their farms. There were a lot of farms containing mostly cassava and maize crops.

I saw several statues of different heroes of the community. These were people who had made impact in the village during their time. We got to see masquerades entertaining people who stood by, watching them. We also witnessed several occasions, which had local bands harmoniously playing local instruments to make traditional music. In one occasion, I saw myself dancing to the music, to the amusement of my cousins.

We visited several places that showcased the rich cultural heritage of the village. We interacted with several persons and made new friends. That was one thing I loved about the community. Everyone was friendly and respectful. They lived in peace and harmony. Conflicts were quickly resolved and forgotten.

We had a good time, and the best part about it was that it was just the first day.
The next day was even more fun. We played several local, but really fun games as a family that I never knew existed. I ate a lot of delicious local meals.

Eventually, the holiday came to an end. I wished it could last longer, but it was only a wish. I was certain however, that that was the best holiday I ever had.