When I was younger, Christmas used to be full-blown, and I mean every sense of the word.

The travels, families coming together, chickens being tossed from sellers to buyers; it was electric. Going to church on Christmas morning, then coming back to a feast: Christmas jollof, fried rice, even pounded yam… kai! And the decorations! Those were the things that made Christmas truly memorable.

As time passed, I noticed a slow fade in how Christmas was celebrated. I couldn’t tell if it was the economy or if the festive spirit was just dying.

But even then, trust Nigerians to adapt; there was still that festive feeling lingering every year.

Fast forward to 2025, and it feels like Christmas has almost disappeared. The tradition of decorating seems to be dwindling.

Nigerians who would’ve fought tooth and nail for a chicken, no matter how broke, now seem to put that money toward rice, garri, and essentials. Who could blame them? One chicken costs 15k, and depending on how much the “daddy of the house” loves chicken, it might not even last until the new year (lol).

Now, the only thing that seems to remind me of Christmas is Zenith Bank’s Christmas light display on Ajose Adeogun Street, Lagos.

So… what happened to Christmas?