Stories from the Field

December 2003

Christmas in Mozambique

Christmas celebrations take on various forms around the world, some of which would be very foreign to Americans. Journeyman Katie Jackson who served in Mozambique, Southern Africa shares her Christmas experiences from halfway around the world.

“Christians in Mozambique celebrate Christmas by praying and singing ALL NIGHT together from Christmas Eve until Christmas day. Then they gather at the church to celebrate with music and preaching for hours on Christmas day and to possibly eat a meal together. Everyone would wear his or her nicest clothes and shoes (if the have any). Music and dramas about Christ coming to earth are very important to the Mozambican Christians. (Just a side note, it's is usually over 100 degrees of Christmas day for them.)

“They may give small gifts if they have anything, but this isn't expected as people have very little money. They would be more likely to splurge on special food for Christmas day (such as meat since meat is too expensive for Mozambiquans to eat meat for an ordinary meal).

"Non-Christians celebrate what the Mozambican government calls ‘the day of the family’ rather than Christmas. They do not have a Santa Claus figure, but for the whole month of December, they say ‘happy holidays’ to whomever they meet on the street and that person is supposed to give them something like candy or money.

“On Christmas day, non-believing Mozambiquans spend the day at home with their family. Normally, they try to save their money to buy chickens or a goat so that, like the Christians, they can have special food on that day. Often, they begin drinking the traditional Makhuwa wine in the morning (made from cashew fruit, bananas, corn meal, or whatever has been in season) and continue all day.

“So the fact that Christians and non-Christians celebrate Christmas is similar to the celebration in the USA, but the way in which each group celebrates differs in many ways from an American Christmas celebration.”

By Katie Jackson, Journeyman to Mozambique