West Africa Journal

CHRISTMAS SARCASM

“WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS, WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS, WE
WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

Happy Christmas We No Die Oh (Krio version of above meaning, Its a happy day because we didn’t die this year)

“I’M DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS. . .FOR EVERYONE ELSE BUT NOT FOR
ME . . .MAY YOUR DAYS BE CHILLY AND WHITE. . .WHILE I BASK IN THE
SUNLIGHT AT THE BEACH”

“I WON’T BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. . .THAT WE ALL AGREE. . .BUT PLEASE
HAVE SNOW, AND 20 BELOW. . .”

In the Christmas mood yet? Or should I keep going?

I’ve been listening to Christmas music here, but it really doesn’t
have the same effect when it’s 100 degrees outside, dry, dusty,
humid, and just plain HOT!
I find that the Christmas songs I like the most in the US are not
the ones I like the most here in Sierra Leone. For example, songs
like “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas”, really sounds quite silly
here. “I’m dreaming of a GREEN Christmas” would be much more
appropriate. Or take the song “Let is snow!” for example. . .really,
who wants it to snow anyway? Or “Winter Wonderland”. . .now there’s
a fairy tale song if ever I heard one, and we all know fairy tales
don’t come true.
Then there’s “Frosty the Snowman” . . .are you kidding! We put out a
fake snow man and everyone in the village thinks is a devil-ghost! Our
guards are even afraid to come around here! Could you imagine what
they’d think if the snow man actually woke up one day with an
exclamation of “Happy Birthday!” ?? I think we’d be the only people
left on this side of the mountain.

Then there’s the homesick songs, “I’ll be home for Christmas” and
“I’ll have a blue Christmas without you”. Who writes those songs??
They’re the worst Christmas songs EVER!! Believe me, when any song
even remotely similar to this theme starts playing, I can’t
hit the “skip” button fast enough!

So, Christmas music hasn’t been much of a hit here, either, but I’m
still listening to it, and trying to get in the Christmas spirit.

The lights really help, though. I LOVE Christmas lights! Granted we
only have 3 hours of electricity in a day. . .but the moment the
generator comes on, and I see the tree light up with colorful
blinking lights. . .Ahhh! Yes! THAT makes Christmas for me!!

Filed under: Uncategorized on December 15th, 2009