SFS Contest // New Year Celebrations Plans.

Compliments of the season @everyone and welcome to my blog as I share ideas about plans for New Year celebrations in my hometown. I will do this following the guided subtopics below 👇 .

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What do you think about new year celebrations? Is it necessary to celebrate?

New Year is that time of the year when as Christians we say “…old things have gone away and new things have come” and of course, it comes with celebration. A lot is put in place to celebrate, however, everyone has a different purpose for celebrating. Some celebrate for long life, some for prosperity, others for good health, to some, it was time to celebrate growth, etc. Notwithstanding, others do not celebrate but rather mourn for their loss. Life they say has a way of treating us differently.

To me, I often celebrate the new year because I used it as a moment of reflection, readjustment and rededication. I reflect on the past year, check what was not achieved and what caused me not to achieve that goal, readjust from bad habits and rededicate my life to face new challenges. It is also a moment to thank God for allowing me to see a new year. The Bible says that it is not because we are so righteous to see a new day but because of the grace of God upon our lives that makes it possible for us to be among the chosen ones to see a new year.

It is necessary to celebrate but in a responsible way. I have noticed that in the course of celebrating the new year, a lot of damages are caused, drunkenness is on the rise on such a day, and the number of deaths recorded in road accidents due to drunkenness is alarming.

What are your plans for New Year celebrations?

In my hometown, New Year celebrations begin on the 31st of December and as Christians, we have programs in church on the 31st of December night. We termed it “crossover night”. It is a moment of prayers with thanksgiving, waiting till midnight of the 31st. But because of insecurity in my hometown, I often spend the crossover night at home following church service online.

Also, 31st of December at exactly 8:00 PM before going to the cross overnight in church, it is that moment of the year we had to listen to the head of state address to the nation. That is the moment most youths will not miss to listen if the head of state will address some of their worries like unemployment, job openings for the new year, etc.

On 31st December at midnight, after praising God and listening to the head of state address to the nation, I often take my kids outdoors to witness fireworks done by the military. Although some individuals also throw fireworks 💥 on New Year it is not permitted and if caught by the military, you will face the consequences.

On New Year's Day, we planned a lot of cooking and frying for our guests during the day. It is also an opportunity to visit families or friends and celebrate the new year.

I also planned on taking my kids out to a playground for them to have fun before the holiday season is over.

Share any previous year's New Year celebrations pictures and stories.

Unfortunately, I hardly take pictures on such a day 🤦🏻‍♀️. I am always occupied and busy trying to put everything to the extent that I ended up not having a single picture on that day.

I have a story to share 😆😆 three years ago. It is a funny incident that happened on the eve of New Year's Day. We had travelled to meet my mother-in-law to celebrate the new year together as a family. I had a newborn baby at hand and I had spent the whole day preparing food items to be cooked on the new year day.

I was exhausted even before it was midnight on that day. My mother-in-law had gone to church for the crossover night while my husband went out drinking with his friends. I do not know who locked the gate when they went out and I fell into deep sleep.

They both returned at about 2:00 AM while my husband was at the backyard gate, and my mother-in-law was at the front gate. They knocked persistently but I could not hear any of the knocks on the the gate. I have an iPhone that from 10:00 PM, automatically goes on to “Do not disturb” mode. They tried calling me several times unfortunately my phone was on silent and I could not hear.

My husband then tried to call the mother thinking she was at home, telling her he brought her wine to come open the gate for him. The mother laughed and said she was also outside at the front gate. She hurriedly went to the backyard gate and collected the wine.

They stayed outside for several hours under severe cold. It was oy when the baby was up to breastfeeding that I heard them murmuring at the gate. I checked the time on my phone and noticed several missed calls from them.

When I opened the gate, my husband started requesting for the mother to return the wine because she did not open the gate and she blatantly refused to do that. It was a funny incident as we discussed it and laughed 😅.

I will invite @simonnwigwe, @josepha and @max-pro to share their ideas about the New Year celebration.