It’s about family and fun Christmas is here; some celebrate it and others take it as a day like any other. Many people, especially parents, think of it as a day for children, and for some, a reason to spend money. In general, the festive season is a time to be merry as it is when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, a time to exchange gifts, spend time with family and friends, eat more than usual, travel, and attend parties. But given the pandemic we are clearly stuck with, this will not be the case this year. With travel restrictions and lockdowns in some places, we all need to adjust. The pandemic has taken lives, left people unemployed, among many other problems, and has robbed people of ways in which to have fun as we have to practice social distancing, travel less and so much more. But the same pandemic gave us one good thing. It opened our minds to spending less. Having a good time doesn’t mean spending all of your cash on parties, just use what you are comfortably able to. We are now reminded that it doesn’t take much to be happy. So on Christmas, do something special as a family, however simple it is, dance in your kitchen, play a board game or sing. Be good to one another. Remember it’s all about family and fun. By Betty Uwamahoro Questions unanswered I’ve been celebrating Christmas since I was a child, though I never really got the meaning. People would buy clothes for that day and also stock food to eat. So this made me wonder and ask myself some questions, for example, what is Christmas? Do all people enjoy Christmas? Why is it celebrated? Who set the date of Christmas? According to my research, I found that Christmas is a special day that recognises the birth of Christ. I also found that Christmas is a worldwide celebration for all believers in Christ. But I still haven’t found out who set the date, though I’m still trying. I also heard, when I was young, that there is a Father Christmas (Pere Noel) who delivers gifts to children on Christmas. I am still waiting for those gifts to this day. The pandemic hit in 2019, and led to the death of many people around the world and drastic changes that left many depressed. Before the virus, Christmas was a day of happiness that almost everyone enjoyed. They’d go shopping and host parties. But we can’t do that as much now. We must continue to wash our hands, wear a mask and keep the distance. Wishing you all the best. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. By Kevine Umwali Better to be safe than sorry Christmas is widely considered as a day of happiness; people shop, stock up on food for the festive season, families meet to celebrate and share the joy, parties are in abundance, and some go to pray. In Kigali, you’ll notice that the Christmas lights are up, but other countries like the US usually have Santa (Father Christmas) at different stores to give gifts to children. However, Covid-19 significantly killed the mood of people worldwide. But, this shouldn’t kill your Christmas spirit. You can still have holiday fun with those closest to you while following the measures put in place to curb the spread of the virus, like wearing a mask, social distancing, washing hands with soap, and above all, you need to get vaccinated. Stay safe. By Annaise Kanyange It’s not merry for us all Many people can’t wait for Christmas, but I wonder, what about that person out there who rarely celebrates anything? That person filled with so much sadness, it is impossible to get them to smile even. How does that one cope during a season where everybody seems to be in a joyous mood? Out there somewhere, someone plans to just stay indoors, alone, till God knows when, perhaps drink to fill the void they may have, or even cry themselves to sleep. What can you imagine a disheartened person will do in such a time—while everybody else is celebrating? Do we really take time to think about another’s sadness? If the rate of suicide is anything to go by, we should. Some people don’t even know that such issues exist. And if you know they do, or you know someone going through depression or despair, what are you doing about it? Do you leave them alone to struggle with their demons while you celebrate? It won’t hurt if you check in on them and do something nice, wish them well, and be there for them in whichever way you can. It’d be such a tragedy and a hard burden to carry if somebody you know ends up hurting themselves when there’s something you could’ve done. I don’t think you’d ever forgive yourself. Maybe you can’t completely fix somebody’s mental health, but don’t worsen it. By Briane Nkwihoreze Celebrate responsibly! Covid-19 is a virus that originated in China in 2019 and spread to the rest of the world. Few know about its origin, many wonder but still don’t have an answer. 2021 is almost up and the virus is still moving around, people are still getting infected but have a stronger chance to fight it with vaccinations that were approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) from different companies and laboratories. With the festive season upon us, we have to learn how to have fun but be safe at the same time. During this time, we should keep wearing our masks, social distancing ,washing our hands with clean water and soap, using sanitizer, and taking any other preventive measures as advised. It might feel dull as we are used to people meeting up and celebrating together, but we shouldn’t be reckless or do as we wish. We should try not to meet in ways that will easily spread the virus and protect ourselves because even though there’s a vaccination for the virus, you can still get it and spread it. So as you get into the holiday spirit, do not do anything that will put your life, or other people’s lives, at stake. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! By Yannick Izere, S2 Avoid getting sick this Christmas Jesus born by the Virgin Mary through the Holy Spirit is what Christmas is. During this period, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Saviour. While spending time with family and friends this Christmas, we should follow the measures imposed by the government. As we know, these measures include washing hands with clean water and soap, using a sanitizer for our hands, especially when we touch different things and social distancing. You should also be vaccinated in order to protect yourself from the virus. The festive season brings joy and this makes many people want to shop. They buy gifts for families, relatives and friends and celebrate together. They also buy Christmas trees and decorations. As we know Covid-19 is still here but we should never relax and be like “I am vaccinated, I don’t need to protect myself anymore.” Instead, we should help each other fight the pandemic so that we can go back to normal. I hope we all follow the measures for a better world with no virus. By Ella Isingizwe Ninon Have fun in a safe way Christmas is celebrated by all, whether poor, rich, young or old. People are busy preparing for Christmas day as they are excited to give or receive gifts, go for prayers and have fun. Many people celebrate and enjoy themselves as they eat, drink and do whatever makes them happy. Some visit, go out to their favourite hotels, and beaches, where they party, swim, simply because they are just happy. But this year has an exception due to the Covid-19 pandemic, although this doesn’t mean that we are not going to celebrate Christmas. We just have to be careful, we have so far lost our beloved ones and I don’t think that we need to lose more. So, I advise people to enjoy this Christmas as they also keep their lives safe. By Carla Iliza Prevention starts with us Christmas is the best day for all Christians because we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We celebrate it on December 25 every year. In my family, on Christmas we used to attend parties, eat, and get gifts. But when the Covid-19 pandemic came to Rwanda on March 8, 2019, many things changed. We had to protect ourselves and this also affected the celebration of Christmas. During this festive season, we have to protect ourselves from Covid-19, we should avoid greeting or hugging one another because you do not know if the people you are hugging have the virus. We also have to avoid unnecessary travel, since you cannot know if the people you are visiting have Covid, or you may meet with a person who is infected. We have to wash our hands with water and soap or use hand sanitizer to kill the bacteria. Let us not forget that Covid-19 kills but it is possible to prevent it. Let us obey the laws by respecting curfew so that we don’t spread the virus. By Jovanis Uwurukundo Keep it safe but fun Christmas is the most anticipated day of the year considering how it is celebrated by most people around the world. It is a great time for everyone to have fun and get together with their families. There are so many things done during this period that a lot of people don’t want to miss. Every place is illuminated which symbolizes hope for most Christians because that is when the Saviour was born. No one wants to miss this time of the year. Coronavirus has become a threat throughout the world and is still present so people may wonder how Christmas is going to be celebrated in this difficult time. We can still have fun during this festive season and still be safe if we follow all the rules and regulations imposed by the authorities, like putting on our masks and washing our hands. While some people celebrate Christmas by throwing big parties, with Covid-19 it’s not possible, but the most important thing is having the people you love with you. It’s not a matter of who’s going to have the most grandiose party but who’s still alive during this time. A lot of people have lost their loved ones, so we must do the maximum to keep surviving. We can have a small get together as a family, we may even celebrate it using the internet by calling those far away from us even if it’s not the same as having them with you, we must take what we can get. Most of the youth don’t take Covid-19 seriously and during this festive season they may make irrational decisions and think that people don’t want them to have fun, but they must be aware that they may put their lives in danger by doing such. Let us make being alive our main purpose for now. By Gadiella Nyarwaya Gisabo Watch out for Covid-Christmas Christmas is a festive period that brings joy to all each year. On December 25, we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ who renews our souls with peace, joy, and happiness. During most Christmas holidays, people visit each other and celebrate. When they meet, they have all kinds of food and drinks, and later on sing and dance. Families meet to talk about what happened during the year. Friends meet and go shopping. While all Christmas festivities are usually the same, there will be an exception this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Christmas festivities involve the interaction of many people and for that reason, people are supposed to follow the prevention measures by putting on face masks well, washing hands after touching any area, avoiding shaking hands, and avoiding overcrowded areas. This year’s Christmas celebrations will be great only if people follow the Covid-19 guidelines, so I advise people to take care as I do the same. By Queen Uwase, S3 There are many ways to celebrate Covid-19 has lasted about three years now. Vaccination has been discovered but no cure, and cases still exist worldwide. The festive season is here, Christmas and the New Year, but will this pandemic be an obstacle to the joy the season brings? Of course it will. Any gathering could lead to the spread of Covid-19, so let’s celebrate with the ones close to us, while protecting the ones far from us. Festive preparation is hard work. Shopping for food is really tiresome, and given the season, markets become packed, and this also leads to the spread of Covid-19. But I think there is a way to go about this, let the vaccinated do the shopping, although respecting the guidelines. Some of my classmates shared their views, for example, Nicky Isaro says this pandemic has reduced the sprit and joy the festive season brings. Sandrine Uwase thinks that obeying the measures as usual could be the solution, but the spirit shouldn’t fade because celebrating means believing it in your heart. And Moreen Umurerwa says that we can use technology to video chat with relatives who do not live with us. I agree. We can still keep the spirit and the joy the festive season. Let’s stay safe. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year By Princesse Irakoze, S2 Christmas and Covid-19 together? One of the most special days people impatiently wait for every year is Christmas, because it’s when they get to bond with their families, they also get to buy new things like clothes. People don’t only celebrate Christmas by going out or partying, they also reconnect spiritually as they are given another chance with the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas holds many memories that are cherished, for example, decorating, shopping, going out, mouth-watering meals with the whole family, church services, drinking and dancing till late in the night, and so many other activities. But have you ever thought about an unusual Christmas? Have you ever imagined Christmas without concerts or any other gatherings? I bet not, because we never thought that a pandemic would sneak into our lives. But ask yourself, what is more important, life or a desire for fun? I’m sure life always comes first because we only live once, and there will be many other opportunities to celebrate. Even though the entire world was shaken by the pandemic, it doesn’t mean that people have to stay locked up in their homes, or not celebrate Christmas, it only means that we have to be careful. There are many measures enforced by the government, like wearing face masks and going out when necessary, that’s what we should do to get through this Christmas season safely. During this pandemic we can celebrate Christmas with our loved ones at home, we can decorate the Christmas tree together as a family. Having many people around doesn’t make Christmas a blast, it’s about what you do as a family. The pandemic should not be a reason to feel sad about Christmas. We only need to be more cautious. We have to learn from experience. Many people have lost their loved ones who died because of the pandemic, and no one would want to go through that grief again, especially now that the year is ending and we are looking forward to what we will accomplish in the coming year. By Linda Queren Umuganwa
