What is it with igbos and chritsmas?. They celebrate chritsmas more than any other in the world. i was wondering why a foreign culture could go down well with a group of people so much that you may think it originated from igboland. Why is christmas so special especially among igbos and why do they always travel [/b]to their [b]mother land for it?. 90% of the Nigerian work force in my hospital that will be off duty this december are ibos . Their love for christmas is unparalleled even when economy is hitting hard. What do igbos see in christmas?.

Do they know it's oyibo culture?.

Do they have any other festival in igboland that they celebrate half as they celebrate christmas?.


Why must they buy a new car, house etc for christmas?

[size=13pt]I admire the igbo people alot when it comes to their culture.
They enjoy visit their hometown during Easter and xmas, and regularly unlike the Yoruba
Igbo men loff show off, that is why they buy all those big jeeps
You need to see last xmas, but sometimes i think the cars are rented
Y[/size]

Igbos love Igboland  dearly.
Even an Igbo man in Aba who's from Okija makes sure he travels to Okija for Christmas.
It's now called Christmas but the December festivities in Igboland started before Christianity came to Igboland.
There's what we call Mmemme translated to mean celebration or merriment and it differs from place to place but it falls around Christmas time and still celebrated all over Igboland.

Most of our weddings are also around Christmas time
Chieftaincy coronations are at Christmas time
An Igbo man always sees himself as a sojourner wherever he is outside of his homeland.
He could be born and bred in Lagos, or kaduna but he'll forever see himself as an Igbo land and never regards his land of sojoun as his home.
Through out my childhood,I grew up in several cities in Nigeria but we always went to the village every Decemer 20th and stayed there till  January 3rd or so.
It was a time of great merriment,cousins,Inlaws and friends came home from all over the globe and celebrated Christmas in the village.
The ones that came home from Lagos even those from Ajegunle and Ketu will be doing shakara for us[/b]I remember the traditional dances,the masqurerades,the crusades with films in open fields.

[b]Deepzone,I hope your fiance is really an Igbo man,you're in for a treat at Christmas time.
It;s the time to show you off to his friends.
we don't go to sleep till around 2 AM or the fuel finishes from the generator.

Our men build their biggest homes in the village and Christmas time is a good time to relax from all the toiling in the city

*osisi:

Igbos love Igboland dearly.
Even an Igbo man in Aba who's from Okija makes sure he travels to Okija for Christmas.
It's now called Christmas but the December festivities in Igboland started before Christianity came to Igboland.
There's what we call Mmemme translated to mean celebration or merriment and it differs from place to place but it falls around Christmas time and still celebrated all over Igboland.

Most of our weddings are also around Christmas time
Chieftaincy coronations are at Christmas time
An Igbo man always sees himself as a sojourner wherever he is outside of his homeland.
He could be born and bred in Lagos, or kaduna but he'll forever see himself as an Igbo land and never regards his land of sojoun as his home.
Through out my childhood,I grew up in several cities in Nigeria but we always went to the village every Decemer 20th and stayed there till January 3rd or so.
It was a time of great merriment,cousins,Inlaws and friends came home from all over the globe and celebrated Christmas in the village.
I remember the traditional dances,the masqurerades,the crusades with films in open fields.

Deepzone,I hope your fiance is really an Igbo man,you're in for a treat at Christmas time.
It;s the time to show you off to his friends.
we don't go to sleep till around 2 AM or the fuel finishes from the generator.

Our men build their biggest homes in the village and Christmas time is a good time to relax from all the toiling in the city

I was wondering because my sister and her family are travelling to igboland this december and if you see how her husband prepared for the thing financially and otherwise, you wonder whether there is something else happening apart from christmas. He even bought cognac, wines etc from America and shipped them home since june. My sister shopped a lot of other stuffs they packed in the SUV he also shipped last september for the same christmas. So igbos have that culture way before the christian era?

DeepZone:

I was wondering because my sister and her family are travelling to igboland this december and if you see how her husband prepared for the thing financially and otherwise, you wonder whether there is something else happening apart from christmas. He even bought cognac, wines etc from America and shipped them home since june. My sister shopped a lot of other stuffs they packed in the SUV he also shipped last september for the same christmas. So igbos have that culture way before the christian era?

Yes o,it's a serious thing.
I'm sure your in law has built a house there too.
My cousin 2 years ago shipped everything including drinking water in the container,a car,generator,furniture and decoration for the new house.
They spent money.

There was this Yoruba inlaw we had.
he spent all his Christmases in my village with his wife and kids and told us he'd never seen Christmas celebration the way we do it.
We organize tournaments, there are undergraduate student union meetings, there are "disco dances", career seminars for the youth,health screenings  for HBP and diabetes and free meds by volunteer nurses and physicians
People everywhere
lots of food
My dad used to slaughter a whole cow for Christmas and goats for new year.

It is a lot of fun.
sadly there are also many accidents because people drink and drink.
We ate fried meat until; your teeth could chew no more.
Every visitor was served food and drink,some we had no clue who they were.

Wow, my family's different

*osisi:

Yes o,it's a serious thing.
I'm sure your in law has built a house there too.
My cousin 2 years ago shipped everything including drinking water in the container,a car,generator,furniture and decoration for the new house.
They spent money.

They don't need one because his father already built a very big mansion that has over 20 bedrooms, a ballroom etc in the village with constant electricity. My sister said she'll come back with a trailer full of pictures because it's her first time.

stillwater:

Wow, my family's different

you never went home for christmas?

DeepZone:

They don't need one because his father already built a very big mansion that has over 20 bedrooms, a ballroom etc in the village with constant electricity. My sister said she'll come back with a trailer full of pictures because it's her first time.

Chineke God!!
My dad has a huge mansion but with fewer rooms but my brothers are still building theirs
I think it's a waste but who am I

yes o with a borehole ,satellite TV and generator[b]s[/b] in case one breaks down.

Wow, my family's different

Of course it wouldn't be every igbo that will participate because of financial or religious reasons. I know that Jehovahs witnesses don't celebrate christmas.

Chineke God!!
My dad has a huge mansion but with fewer rooms but my brothers are still building theirs

His dad has a white two storey building in the village and he has only 3 sons and 2 daughters that are married. there is no difference between igbos christmas celebration and family's reunion by Americans mostly during thanksgiving. The only difference is that family reunions are held in different cities of their choice.

tRoOE:

[size=13pt]I admire the igbo people alot when it comes to their culture.
They enjoy visit their hometown during Easter and xmas, and regularly unlike the Yoruba
Igbo men loff show off, that is why they buy all those big jeeps
You need to see last xmas, but sometimes i think the cars are rented
Y[/size]

Before nko? na every body get money to buy a new Lincoln Navigator(My brother in law sent a Lincoln Aviator home).

A few years ago I was home with the family, all my siblings were also home with their families and we were all together in my parents house.It was unbelievable.
Then before we parted ,daddy laid hands on us all and pronounced blessings on us.
It reminded me of Isaac in the Bible.
It's an ocassion I'll never forget till the day I die.

*osisi:

you never went home for christmas?

I did when I was a kid. Can't even remember much.

DeepZone:

Before nko? na every body get money to buy a new Lincoln Navigator(My brother in law sent a Lincoln Aviator home).

Buehehehehe

I know what u mean ok

deepzone tell your inlaw to be careful especially driving out to the cities,these armed robbers are so jealous of success .

*osisi:

A few years ago I was home with the family, all my siblings were also home with their families and we were all together in my parents house.It was unbelievable.
Then before we parted ,daddy laid hands on us all and pronounced blessings on us.
It reminded me of Isaac in the Bible.
It's an ocassion I'll never forget till the day I die.

Awwww

Osisi have said it all ooooooo, The joy of xmas in any town in igbo land is something one has to witness. It is the time of the year where the whole family members both nuclear and extended are under one roof. Chineke, it is fun that I wish will never end.  In fact, each town have started doing what they call " MASS RETURN", Traditional Marriages, Wedding, Parties are just lined up, in fact, I have no more room to fit in occasions for me to attend this xmas.

If people in Nigeria are happy over going to their respective towns in Igboland during xmas, what do u say about those of us abroad.

Hotstepper you get it.
In some areas of Igbo land now,all the weddings must be at Christmas as a rule.
It's not as though they'll penalize you if you don't but most of them keep to it.

are you doing your Igbankwu this Christmas?

yes, most leave it xmas time cuz thats wen people would be home and ready to attend ceremonies,

Igbankwu ke this xmas! who dash me? God's time is da best but wen it will happen, na xmas time and Igbankwu and white wedding go be da same day cuz i dont want 2 days skin pain

b/w, wat town u 4rom?

skfa1:

Buehehehehe

I know what u mean ok

What do I mean? Did I speak latin or so you think Lincoln Aviator is a high end SUV?. Bush man.

Hotstepper:

Osisi have said it all ooooooo, The joy of xmas in any town in igbo land is something one has to witness. It is the time of the year where the whole family members both nuclear and extended are under one roof. Chineke, it is fun that I wish will never end. In fact, each town have started doing what they call " MASS RETURN", Traditional Marriages, Wedding, Parties are just lined up, in fact, I have no more room to fit in occasions for me to attend this xmas.

If people in Nigeria are happy over going to their respective towns in Igboland during xmas, what do u say about those of us abroad.

What is mass return?

*osisi:

Hotstepper you get it.
In some areas of Igbo land now,all the weddings must be at Christmas as a rule.
It's not as though they'll penalize you if you don't but most of them keep to it.

are you doing your Igbankwu this Christmas?

What is the person is marrying non igbo?. It's like my inlaw is planning a little welcome home marriage like party for his wife in his village this xmas.

Mass Return is basically "reunion" for all the sons and daughters of the same town as people will return home that particular year for it. It is something one shouldnt miss. I will be attending one of my friend's town own. My town did theirs last year and it was MASSIVEEEE and if u know the nature and character of the town I come from, you would know it would be 100 times pass wat other towns would do, lol

*osisi:

deepzone tell your inlaw to be careful especially driving out to the cities,these armed robbers are so jealous of success .

The guy is so happy that his mind is not even going that side. Some of his friends here are getting married traditionally at home this christmas and he will be actively involved. I'll pray they come back safely.

DeepZone:

What is mass return?

My husbands people do that too.
It's just a homecoming sort of.
where all the sons and daughters from far and wide go home.
My husbands people do it every 2 years.
It's crazy.You'll attend party taya.
sometimes there are 4 parties in one day and for friendship sake you hop from house to house and meet guests you met some where else.

Mass Return is basically "reunion" for all the sons and daughters of the same town as people will return home that particular year for it. It is something one shouldnt miss. I will be attending one of my friend's town own. My town did theirs last year and it was MASSIVEEEE and if u know the nature and character of the town I come from, you would know it would be 100 times pass what other towns would do, lol

What is the nature of the town? Are they too populated, rich, educated or what?

DeepZone:

What is the nature of the town? Are they too populated, rich, educated or what?

Nnewi.
The spare parts people
they are perhaps the richest town in Igboland.
Abiriba is another very rich place The houses are unbelievable.

*osisi:

My husbands people do that too.
It's just a homecoming sort of.
where all the sons and daughters from far and wide go home.
My husbands people do it every 2 years.
It's crazy.You'll attend party taya.
sometimes there are 4 parties in one day and for friendship sake you hop from house to house and meet guests you met some where else.

How do they pass information around especially to igbos living in the diaspora?

*osisi:

Nnewi.
The spare parts people
they are perhaps the richest town in Igboland.
Abiriba is another very rich place The houses ate unbelievable.

What of those igbos that have those huge multi million transport companies like ABC motors, ekene chuku motors, The young shall grow motors, Claudio and Alessio etc. Where are they from? Greyhound village?

Where is the cosmetic and household giant, orange drugs from?.

DeepZone:

How do they pass information around especially to igbos living in the diaspora?

They already know from way back that they have it biennially so if you miss one,you wait another 2 years.
Moreover most Igbo towns have their village organizations  in almost every city in Naija and overseas.
haven't you attended Igbo kporakpo parties here