Christmas in Zimbabwe

For most people in Zimbabwe, Christmas day starts with a Church service. After the Church service, everyone has a party in their homes and people go from house to house, visiting all of their family and friends on the way home! Sometimes, this can take all of the rest of the day! At every house you have something to eat, exchange presents and enjoy the party.

A lot of people get their biggest stereo speakers out and put them outside the front of the house and play their favorite music very loudly! It is not only Christmas music that is played, but also the latest pop tunes and old African favorites.

Everyone wears their best clothes for Christmas, as for some families the only new clothes they get every year are for Christmas. The parties are a good place to show off their new clothes.

Children in Zimbabwe believe that Santa Claus brings them there presents early on Christmas Day, ready to show their friends at Church and at the parties.

Only the main room in the house is often decorated in Zimbabwe. Some Zimbabweans have a traditional 'European' Christmas Tree, but they decorate the room with plants. This is draped around the whole of the top of room.

Christmas Carols are sung during the Christmas Day morning service and in services leading up to Christmas.

The Christmas Cards that are used in Zimbabwe sometimes have pictures on them including wild animals, but most are imported so they have the traditional 'snow scenes' and pictures of the Christmas story on them.

The special food eaten at Christmas in Zimbabwe is Chicken with rice. Chicken used to be an expensive food in Zimbabwe. Chicken and rice is often eaten at the Christmas Day parties.

The streets in the big cities also can have colorful Christmas lights.