Photo by Niklas Ohlrogge on Unsplash
Chilly mornings and chapped lips – it’s that time of the year. One of the highlights of this said time of the year is Christmas. Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and is one of the most celebrated holidays in the world. While Christians now use this period to celebrate the birth of Jesus, it wasn’t always so. The History Channel reports that this period (winter) has always been a celebration – from the Yule celebration by the Norse in Scandinavia, to the Germans’ tribute to Oden, even to the Saturnalia and Juvenalia by the Romans. It is believed that the date December 25, was chosen with respect to the Saturnalia festival, and some say that it was a way to curb the several pagan celebrations at the time. Regardless of the reasons, Christmas and how it is celebrated has continued to evolve. The history of Christmas will be incomplete without Santa Claus, whose origin can be traced to St. Nicholas, a Turkish monk; a man known for his generosity and kindness.
Away from history, regardless of faith or belief, the end of the year, starting from the Christmas season, is usually the period for holidays with many companies wrapping up their activities for the year. It is typically a period for self-reflection and that yearly evaluation of wins and losses. However, this holiday rule does not particularly concern many people in the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (COMUI). There’s school the day before Christmas and the day after Boxing Day. Perhaps understandable because sickness gives no warning before it strikes, and neither does it take breaks. It can be frustrating, regardless.
Dearest Brownites, despite all of these facts and in the face of these odds, it’s Christmas. Use today, and tomorrow, as that much-needed excuse to read a book (not your pathology textbook, Bímpé) or make yourself a hot cup of tea (it is pretty cold, after all). Call your lover or that friend you’ve not spoken to in a very long time. Drop the books today, go outside, and hang out with your favourite people. However, if you must read today, particularly our good friends starting exams in a few days, kindly treat yourself. Scroll through your slides with one hand while holding the turkey in the other hand. Reflect on the year as you study with friends and have a good laugh. Cry if you must, but remember that a bad year does not equal a bad life. You’ll be fine, and next year will be better.
Dusty rooms and white faces – it’s that time of the year. Most importantly, it’s Christmas. Merry Christmas, ABH.
