Christmas, time to buy gifts or shy away from loved ones?

Source: nigeriafilms.com
Click for Full Image Size
Mike Ezuruonye

Christmas is a season of joy and peace, sharing and giving to the less privileged amongst us. It's also a time when some loved ones and relatives shy away from their responsibilities.

To celebrate this season, we tried to find out from some of our celebrities their views on the Yuletide as a season of giving. Here are their responses. Enjoy it.

A period to spend quality time with family — Porttia Yamahan, Actress

Christmas is really a time to show love and spend time with our loved ones. Loved ones can mean anybody. Mr A may see his loved one as his girlfriend or boyfriend, while the other person will see loved ones to mean his relations. So, it depends on your own definition.

My loved ones right now are members of my family and I think there's no better gift than spending quality time with them this period, especially, for someone like me who has not been around for quite sometime. I want to give them myself this season since God has given me the opportunity.

Yes, you may have sent all the gifts and money from far and near to your family and friends all through the year but the amount of love you show them may not still be enough, if you don't spend time with them this period.

Sometimes, I remember our brothers and sisters abroad and just pity them and their family members because I know they truly miss home. A lot of them wish they can come home but they can't because even after spending 10-20years abroad, some of them still have not gotten their papers. So, they're exempted from spending time with their family here. Those of us who are here in Nigeria may not understand what they go through in those countries. You can imagine what it means to live in a hideout for 10 years or more. These people I'm talking about cannot spend time with family and friends for any cogent reason. If the Nigerian government can deposit an aircraft in these foreign countries, you and I will be amazed at the number of our relatives who will come home. Since they can't come home, the best they can do is send gifts and money through Western Union, which is understandable. That is why I said earlier that no amount of gifts can be compared with spending quality time with your family. These our brothers and sisters miss home but what can they do?

Another way I share my love this season is by donating to the less privileged among us, especially those in the orphanage homes and prisons.
At a time like this, I want to encourage our people to cultivate the habit of making these people feel the Christmas fever, joy and love.

Though, I may not have so much to give them, I'll give them the little I can afford. No matter how little, just join me and make sure you have something to offer them because they are human beings, just like you and me. You may be amazed to realise in future that some of them are related to you. So, it's always good to give a helping hand to that man in need, you never can tell.
Above all, Christmas is also a time to reconcile our differences with God and man. Look around you and find out those you offended, and even those who offended you and see how you can reconcile with them. Christmas celebration will never be complete if we carry long faces with our fellow human beings.

Instead of celebrating what the season is all about, some people cease the opportunity to create more problems for themselves by wanting to buy everything in the world, which they do not really need. Be wise in your spending this season so that you don't enter the New Year with the agony of bankruptcy. Christmas is a special time. So, share special moments with your loved ones.

Time to show love to those who need it — Mike Ezuruonye, Actor

Christmas is not a time to run away from our loved ones. It's actually a time to show love to those who need it. When I say those that need my love, my family comes first because they are the foundation of whatever I am today, followed by those on the street.
The less privileged in our society are the next set of people who really need to be shown love which can be done in different ways. You don't need to buy a cow before you can visit them. No matter how little, people should try to reach out to them. We need to make them appreciate the season by sending something to them. Don't also forget your next door neighbour who may be dying in silence, just tap his door and find out how his household is faring.

I'm not buying any gifts — Pascal Izuchukwu

Those we call loved ones have failed us in so many ways. So, I'm not planning to buy any gift for anybody this Christmas. Besides, some of us are forgetting the economic crisis we experienced recently in our spending. I don't intend to spend unnecessarily this season, so that my New Year will be rosy. But I want to organise a small party for the street kids in my area and I know God will bless me if I'm able to do that. I'm not also leaving out my family members. There'll always be something for them.

Give something, no matter how little — Ehi Buckler, Actress

Ah, ah! Why would anybody abandon his or her loved ones because it's Christmas? Let me ask this question, are you going to give him or her a car or a house? Buying a car or house is good if you can afford it but that is not what love is all about.
If you truly love someone and that person loves you in return, nothing will be too big or small to give, especially for this period. I've already bought something for my boyfriend and family members and it doesn't matter if I don't get anything in return. I think those who shy away from their loved ones because it's Christmas do not understand the true meaning of love. Christmas is practically a time to reach out to people, whether family members, friends or the less privileged. So, make sure you give something to somebody this period.

I don arrange quarrel with my girl friends — Mc Danni B, Comedian

As for my girlfriends, I don already arrange some kind quarrel with them since November so dem no fit understand say na Christmas money I dey run from. We'll all settle in January. The only loved ones I have for now are my family members who have always been there for me, through thick and thin. So, it will only be nice for me to appreciate them this period But I'm not forgetting the less privileged around us, in fact Sheddi Baba is putting up a show for them, which I'll be part of and that's our own little way of putting smiles on their faces.

Story by www.nollywoodgists.com