How we intend to spend the festive season this year

The long awaited Christmas Day is finally here. Your Christmas trees should be up and decorated. Shopping was done. Gifts were bought and wrapped awaiting to be opened on Boxing Day. People cannot wait to wine and dine with their loved ones. Since this is a season to share love with family and friends, please remember to reach out to those in need. How do you intend to spend the festive season this year? Christine Katende talked to a section of women and they shared their plans for the big day.

Sarah Zawedde, Musician

The pandemic has had a bearing on the way Christmas celebrations used to be. These two years have changed the way the world used to celebrate Christmas.  The merry-making is now limited. For me, it has always been a performing Christmas at hotels and family functions. It will still be the same this time round. The Zawee band will be performing at several hotels.We are booked for mostly weddings and private functions. Any free day during the festive season will be spent with my mother.

Jacinta Ntale, Salesperson

I will be working on house renovations with my husband during this festive season. We never get time during the year to work on such projects, so this is the perfect time to supervise the work because we will be present. Of course, I plan to go big on decoration and preparing unique recipes for family. I have to bring a Christmas feel to our home. I will prepare the day’s meals and go for Mass for the day’s blessings. 

Robinah Mulira, aka Bina Baibe, Radio presenter

I love Christmas and I always look forward to celebrating the day with my family. It is that time of year, where we get to bond and have fun. We are not spending time in the kitchen. We are ordering out. Since Christmas falls on Saturday.  I will start my day by hosting the radio show from 6am to 10am at Dembe FM and later head to church. In afternoon, I will join my family for lunch. This is the only day we are allowed to eat while talking. Some of the activities we have lined up this Christmas are dancing chair, Christmas carols competition between my siblings and family. We also get to watch a Christmas movie and we shall crown it with cutting of Christmas cake and opening of gifts.

Jackie Nakiganda, Make-up artist

I spend my Christmas holidays with my mother.  This time round, I will attend the first mass then do some shopping before heading home. I intend to take part in the cooking and the whole preparation because we will be celebrating my grandfather’s birthday. While we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, we are grateful for how far he has brought us and keeping our grandfather alive for all these years. 

Rebecca Fridah Ichimo, Businesswoman

Christmas has always been about my children and what makes them happy. It is a family affair and I will most definitely be with my mother and children. Cake cutting is a must. I plan to wake up early in the morning and start preparing meals for the day. I will also do general cleaning. Shopping and house decoration will be done on Christmas Eve. I got children’s clothes days before to avoid rush hour shopping.

Salome Bangi, Model,

I hope to spend Christmas with my family given how long I have spent without meeting them. There will be no better way to spend it than having lunch with my mother, father, granny and siblings. I enjoy listening to all time Christmas songs by the late Philly Bongole Lutaaya. I cannot miss mother’s food and warm hugs from everyone. I believe this Christmas is going to be about family reunion. However, before setting off, I will do some shopping for them.

Maria Ledochosca, Businesswoman

This time, I intend to send my Christmas Day at Kabira Country Club with friends. I will attend Mass on December 24, early in the morning before setting off. I will spend two days at the club and some of the activities we shall be participating in are swimming, playing indoor games and feasting. I have decided to spend the festive season this way given how long we have taken without being together. I want to break the routine of going to the village and cutting cake. I will shop for my mother, and send her cake. I plan to see her during the course of next year.

Edith Namayanja, Journalist

Christmas is one of the days I get to spend quality time with my family.  But this time round, I have been deployed to cover a church service on Christmas Day.  I will file the story and submit it. I will later head home to help my mother with the preparations. Unlike the previous years, I am now catious not to spend all my savings.  I am planning to invest in a profit making venture come 2022. I am lucky I got many hampers. I intend to buy my birthday cake on 29th and send some money to two people; my grandmother and my former lecturer, who has heart complications.