By Sam Eyoboka, with agency reports

To many among the over 80 million  Nigerian Christians, it appears there will be no Christmas Bells because their counterparts around Southern Kaduna and Zamfara, among others, have come under attacks by herdsmen even as state funds were said to have been used to pacify foreign herdsmen to stop their orgy of violence against Christians.

While most of the world mark the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25, Orthodox Christians celebrate it on January 7 just as the God’s Kingdom Society and a couple of other Christians believe he was born in October. The birthday of Jesus Christ  has been chosen based on different theories. History.com states that some Christians refuse to celebrate Christmas because it has become a holiday driven primarily by gift-giving rather than its true meaning.

Despite the controversy, over two billion people worldwide celebrate Christmas every year. It is believed to be one of the biggest holidays (which was first declared a national in 1870) in many countries of the world, as it is now being marked by many Christians and non-Christians alike. The first recorded celebration of Christmas was on December 25 in 336 A.D. Today, nine out of 10 Americans celebrate Christmas.

Christmas time is important, regardless of the economic woes brought about by the frailty of human systems. All the same, it is one thing to acknowledge the spirituality and importance of Christmas, and another to be left worrying about the cost of gifts and food for the table when money is tight.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) recently expressed shock that a state governor in Nigeria could admit locating herdsmen who had been carrying out killings and destructions and giving them monetary compensation, insisting that what was going on in  Southern Kaduna was nothing but ethno-religious cleansing by vicious herdsmen.

Kaduna State Chairman of CAN, Bishop Jonathan George Dodos, described the goings-on in that part of the country as “sickening and repulsive to civilisation that such cruelty could be meted out to any person, no matter what issue was at stake”. Dodos added: “There is no way to conclude other than say that what is going on in Southern Kaduna is ethno-religion cleansing carried out by Fulani herdsmen. Government must rise up to its responsibilities and defend the people that voted it to power. Otherwise which population will vote them again after being wiped out before 2019?”

The attacks on Christian populations in the North-East, North-Central, Middle- Belt  and many other parts of the country have forced the displacement of many, caused trauma, loss or injury of loved ones, sexual abuse, exploitation and insecurity. According to reports, five villages were attacked by armed herdsmen in Chawai Chiedom, Kauru Local Government Council of Borno State last month while scores of homes, two churches were destroyed, food in barns set ablaze, leaving behind 45 bodies and nine wounded persons. Hundreds are now in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps with children not sure if it’s Christmas.

According to the World Council of Churches (WCC), Christmas is a celebration of Jesus, the Christ. “In this celebration we can see the mystery of the good being present in the midst of the ordinary, even in the midst of evil. It is a moment to ignite a light in darkness. Christmas is an opportunity to celebrate the presence of the God of life in a world where death is all too present”, the WCC said in a post.

“As Christians are celebrating Christmas, we renew our faith that the glory of God is shining in our midst. We celebrate that this happened through Jesus Christ, born by a woman as a human being, with all the potential of love and all the vulnerability that belongs to being a newborn child.

“There is no other way of being a human than by first being a child. As children we are given life through others; we need to be fed and we need to be clothed, we need the care of those around us, we need to learn from others, we need to be protected from dangers, violence, and illness. We need to belong to somebody, somewhere.

“Today many children are presented with enormous possibilities for their present and future lives. They are significant persons in their families, communities, homeland, and in the globalized world. In all countries of the world they also face challenges, risks, even threats. Some are exposed to this much more than others, and much more than children should ever experience. This happens through conflicts, violence, and other attacks on their vulnerable bodies and souls. Many children today, in greater numbers than we have seen since World War II, are refugees fleeing from their homes and protected living.

“This is also the story of the Son of God. The biblical narratives of the birth of Jesus convey all these dimensions of human life: care and love, as well as the enormous risks and threats to life. King Herod committed the gravest sin by killing all children in the area where Jesus was born to eradicate the threats to his power. Jesus and his family became refugees in Egypt.

“As the World Council of Churches, we affirm the role of churches in addressing the needs of children. We encourage one another to be at the forefront of offering care and protection for those who are most vulnerable among us, particularly those who are wounded and are refugees. We want to make more contributions in this respect, embodying the qualities of child-friendly, caring and protecting churches.

“This year our Christmas greeting is made by children in Bethlehem. Their drawings are marvellous expressions of the beauty of life in the birth place of Jesus, as well as the limitations and even threats to their lives through the ongoing occupation with its walls and wires. From the context of Bethlehem today their drawings give hope to all humanity. This corresponds to the hope we are given through the birth of Jesus long ago in Bethlehem. Seen through the eyes of children, this hope is even more costly and shining ever more clearly, to all children in danger, to all human beings of all ages and in all places, longing together for the kingdom of the Prince of Peace.

“May the children of Bethlehem experience signs of the kingdom of the Prince of Peace, the child who was born in their beautiful city! Let us celebrate Christmas, wherever we are, and may the love and care of God for all God’s children fill our hearts and guide our steps forward on our common pilgrimage of justice and peace!”.

Studies have explained why Christmas is an important festival for Christians; to Identify and explain ways in which a Christian might commemorate and celebrate. Christmas is an extremely important event for all Christians because this is when God came to earth in human form as Jesus. Jesus is God’s son. Christians believe he is the saviour; he came down to earth to forgive his people of their sins. Jesus also died on a cross to save his people; this is called Easter. Christians celebrate Christmas in many different ways. Jesus came to earth to show everyone the way to live; he taught people about God. Early Christians were Jewish. Followers of Jesus were nicknamed Christians and the name stayed. It can be proved that Jesus is the Son of God as he rose from the dead.

Christmas lights represent Jesus being the light of the world. During Christmas time, there are many church services to help Christians celebrate and remember the real meaning of Christmas time. Midnight mass is a very popular service; it takes place on Christmas eve and goes on into the early hours of the morning. There are many other church services that take place at Christmas time; among them are family and carol services; also nativity plays play an important part of showing people what actually happened on the very first Christmas.

Angels told the three wise men who  went to see Jesus when he was born that they should not return to Herod to brief him as he would kill him. Christingle can be celebrated in December up to the middle of January, although it can also be celebrated at other times of the year. This is celebrated by making a Christingle. It is an orange with a red ribbon around the middle with things like sweets or raisons on cocktail sticks also around the middle. On the top, there is a candle.

The orange represents the world and the ribbon is Jesus’ blood while the sweets are things that people have given. The candle is there because it reminds people that Jesus is the light of the world.