Written By: Saeeda Ruffin
Y’all already know how we do during the holidays. The music, the food, and above all, the family love, always make the season bright. It’s a magical time, and anybody who has experienced, even a little bit of that magic, looks forward to these priceless moments.
Let’s do a little bit of “fact checking” to see if the village is in sync with the ways families add a touch of Afrocentricity to their holiday season. Here are 10wonderfully blacknificent holiday experiences melanated families will likely relate to:
- Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas”is on repeat and blasting throughout the entire holiday season. When the family gathers, EVERYBODY sings it...er’ytime.
- Family “stars” are given their chance to shine. The cousin who sings in the church choir will surely SANG a selection by request, and anybody who is dressed to the nines will get plenty of props for their ‘fit.
- The Git Up song, Cupid Shuffle, or some fast and fun song will be played at some point.That’s when the “elders” command the little ones to dance for them.Some will be shy, but rest assured at least one of those babies will dance their little heart out!
- The holiday spread will be To Die For. The older women make sure of that! In fact, anyone with “questionable” cooking skills is asked to“Just bring some napkins baby.”Regardless of how many people are gathered, you can count on there being4-5 different meats, literally6or 7side dishes or more, no less than 6 cakes and pies, and more bread than any family can eat in one sitting. Oh, yes! It’s a FEAST!
- Speaking of food...it maybe the oldest person in the family or the auntie who’s an evangelist now, but no one eats a morsel until someone has blessed it.
- You will ALWAYS have a kids table, and the taller pre-teen cousins will absolutely be salty about having to sit there--until their plates are filled with all those yummy eats.
- Mistletoe is NOT the norm. But if you do encounter it, remember...folks will be watching, so please proceed with caution.
- The hugs are NON-STOP! You will get hugged when you arrive. You will get hugged when you go to get your plate. You will get hugged when the aunties and uncles who have not seen you in forever walk past you in the hall.Sis, by the time you leave, you will have been hugged more times than you thought possible in one day...and you will LOVE IT!
- Every area of the house will be filled with groups of people having the best time ever. The sports fans will be gathered around the TV cheering as they watch whatever football game is on. The Spades or Dominos crew will be slamming down books and talking trash all nightlong! And of course, you’ll probably find a Madea movie playing somewhere in the house
- Gifts are good--and there’s always an auntie or cousin with a truckload of little gifts forANYBODY who shows up--but truth be told, the most important part of a blacknificent family gathering is the love.It’s always about the love!
