Melkam Genna!!

Melkam Genna!  Merry Christmas in Ethiopia!  January 7 marks that day for them and so when I awoke today (knowing the time difference), I knew they were finishing up a precious day of celebration with their families.
This also marks the last Christmas ... in any country's timeframe ... that my boy will spend without a family.

Fast forward a few hours and indeed, I was also blessed this day too!  A sweet Momma who is in country sent me pictures of our boy at the celebration the Transitional Home did with our kids.  LOVE IT!  Apparently they got to watch a movie outside, eat lots and lots of candy, sing songs and put on a drama.  Thought I'd share my blessings with you today.

MELKAM GENNA ZEBENE!

I know this one is blurry ... but I LOVE what it is all about.  Tara said he jumped up and was dancing.  He looks so happy too!  I can't wait to see those moves!

I also thought I'd share with you a little about how they celebrate their Christmas.  Perhaps we, in America, the land of abundance could learn something.

Ethiopian Christmas is a major holiday in Ethiopia and falls on January 7, instead of December 25. Unlike the rest of the world Genna is devoid of Santa Claus and Christmas trees. But more recently the trend has been changing where Christmas trees have slowly started creeping into Ethiopian households where many people started using decorating trees even if there is still no Santa Claus stories told, giving and receiving gifts is also not a big deal among the people rather new clothes are bought for children as a present on the holiday.

Genna is followed by one month long fast. It is said that Legend has it that among the Magi the king bearing frankincense as gift to baby Jesus was King Balthazar of Ethiopia. The day before Genna, people fast all day. The next morning at dawn, everyone dresses in white. Most Ethiopians do a traditional shamma, a thin, white cotton wrap with brightly coloured stripes across the ends. After the mass in church families get together to take part in the holiday feast which include doro wot, tela (homemade traditional beer) and Defo Dabo (bread made for holidays). As done in many holidays’ people visit relatives and spend the holiday feasting together.

Christmas is a holiday where many people come together especially in recent times Ethiopian Diaspora come for the holiday in an attempt to not only enjoy Genna, but also celebrate Timket (Epiphany), considered one of the biggest holidays of the year which is just two weeks away from Genna.

In rural areas people play yegena chewata; Ethiopia’s version of hockey which is played using carved stick and kind of rounded ball where men and young boys participate in the game – at times the rivalry can be fierce. There are also songs which are sung to show how people appreciate the game ‘begenna chewata aykotum geta’ at times the rivalry can be fierce. According to tradition, shepherds celebrated when they heard of Jesus birth by playing such a game.