Christmas in Democratic Republic of The Congo

Many locals can’t afford lavish decorations or a fancy dinner but manage to create a festive atmosphere regardless, proving that Christmas isn’t about material things.

Christmas celebrations in Congo are short, quiet, traditional, and modest. People attend church services, spend time with their loved ones, and watch nativity plays.

“Merry Christmas” in the Lingala language spoken in Congo is “Mbotama Malamu.” Most people don’t exchange gifts and don’t send Christmas cards, but this phrase can be heard on every corner at Christmas time.

How Christmas Arrived in Congo

Nowadays, Christians of different denominations account for over 95% of Congo’s population, 50% of which are Catholics and 20% Protestants.

Technically, Congolese began celebrating Christmas even earlier than Americans but significantly later than Europeans.

The history of Christmas in Congo stems from the late 15th century when King Nzinga of the former Congo Kingdom converted to Catholicism under the influence of Portuguese colonists. Christmas celebrations became widespread during the 16th century.

No Presents?

The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of Africa’s largest and poorest populations.

Most Congolese people are also highly devoted Christians who perceive Christmas as a solely religious holiday. For these reasons, gift-giving on Christmas isn’t widespread in Congo.

People living in urban areas, particularly those closer to Congo’s capital city Kinshasa, have adopted some northern Christmas traditions, including gift exchange.

Those with more material resources and access to shopping malls often get their loved ones presents for Christmas.

Some schools, shopping malls, and other public places organize meetings with Santa for kids. Congolese Santa Claus is similar to American Santa but is dressed according to the weather and doesn’t have a white beard.

Still, most Congolese refrain from the custom and simply exchange heartfelt wishes. Some people make handmade gifts for their immediate family members and best friends.

Employers in Congo traditionally give food bags to their employees before going on the Christmas holidays. The packs usually include ingredients for the traditional Christmas dinner, such as chicken, rice, salt, or sugar.

Visiting the Church

Visiting the church is a must for every Congolese on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, especially in rural areas.

Local churches traditionally set up structures from palm tree branches outside specifically for Christmas services.

People strive to dress their best, even if it means sweating under the sun in a suit jacket for three hours.

Churches are always crowded because even people who don’t usually go to church consider attending the Christmas Mass their duty.

A typical Christmas Mass in Congo includes choirs, sermons, interpretation of sermons, offerings, and communion. However, since Congolese belong to different denominations, the rituals may differ.

Musical Events

Traditional music is a vital element of Christmas celebrations in Congo, and many churches organize big musical events with local choirs.

Usually, the performers are kids who play traditional Congolese instruments like a thumb piano, arched harp, and slit drum.

In some towns, people gather together to sing Christmas carols at candlelight – often, candlelight isn’t a religious symbol but a necessity because many regions lack electricity.

Some Congolese Christmas carols are British carols adapted to local dialects, such as Joy to The World or O Come All Ye Faithful. Even the meanings have been changed to reflect the local culture and traditions.

Most Congolese have memorized the words of hymns sung in churches. When the priest says, “Hymn 354,” the congregants don’t even need to open their hymn books.

Quiet Celebrations

Christmas celebrations in the Democratic Republic of Congo are pretty modest compared to most nations but grand for the Congolese.

People spend the holidays at home with family and don’t usually attend mass events apart from church services, nativity plays, and traditional musical performances.

Congolese don’t light fireworks or dance all night long, even in major cities.

However, Christmas in Congo isn’t boring. People gather the entire family, extended family members, friends, and neighbors for the traditional Congolese Christmas Day barbecue, where they chat, sing carols and play games.

Decorations

Christmas decorations in Congo are drastically different from those in the U.S., partially because of the economic situation and partially because of the climate.

People living in rural areas simply can’t afford tinsel, baubles, and string lights – many even don’t have electricity to power the lights.

However, they strive to bring in the festive mood regardless, decorating their houses and churches with palm leaves and flowers.

The closer to the capital city of Kinshasa, the more commercialized Christmas has become under China’s influence.

People living in urban areas can buy Christmas decorations from China, including Santa figurines, baubles, stockings, and fairy lights.

Christmas trees have only become trendy in Congo recently, and primarily in cities. Since pines and firs don’t grow in Congo, locals buy plastic Christmas trees or craft them from metal rods, wood, or fruits and vegetables.

Nativity Plays & Nativity Scenes

Nativity scenes originated in 1223 when Saint Francis of Assisi made a life-sized wooden manger with a live donkey and ox in a cave in the Italian village of Grecio.

The tradition of setting up scenes depicting Mary, Joseph, shepherds, the Three Wise Men, farm animals, and Jesus in his manger took off from there and quickly spread across Europe.

Over time, South Africans also adopted the custom. Nowadays, a nativity scene is in the spotlight of any Congolese home. Wealthier people living in urban areas buy elaborate nativity scenes imported from China in local shopping malls.

People who can’t afford to buy decorations or live far from stores usually craft nativity scenes themselves from wood or other materials they can find. For this reason, nativity scenes in Congolese homes can be very different.

Churches, schools, and other public places often set up life-sized nativity scenes and organize nativity plays where locals portray the story of Jesus’ birth.

Since most Congo’s territory has no electricity, people use lanterns to light the stage.

Nativity plays are usually performed twice, on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Often, the actors are children. Apart from the nativity story, people often perform other biblical stories.

The actors usually go over the top, portraying King Herod and other negative characters rather comically, like pantomime villains.

Two-Day Celebrations

Christmas is a big deal in Congo – locals consider it the most important holiday of the year, so December 24 and December 25 are public holidays.

All public places are closed, apart from large grocery chain stores where locals can buy essentials. Some offices in cities close even earlier.

People take time off for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but on December 26, everything gets back to normal. December 26 in Congo isn’t known as Boxing Day, and locals don’t go shopping in sales like Europeans and Americans.

Congolese don’t celebrate Christmas for twelve days until Epiphany like Americans or Europeans. Although many Congolese people gather for a festive dinner with family and friends on Epiphany, it isn’t a public holiday.

A Special Meal

The Christmas meal for Congolese people is special, like for most Christians.

However, families in Congo have very different incomes and quality of life, so there’s no one traditional Christmas dish. Usually, people simply eat the best they can afford.

Since over 65% of Congolese are beneath the poverty line, not everyone can eat meat for Christmas, but those who do usually roast chicken or pork. Roasted peanuts with sugar and spices are the favorite Congolese treat year-round.

Many Congolese eat fish, any kind they can catch in local rivers. Fish is typically smoked or salted and eaten cold, but some make fish on a grill.

The side dishes usually include sweet potatoes, taro, yam, cassava, okra, tomatoes, or beans. Cassava, a nutty-flavored root vegetable, is especially common, and cassava leaves are often added to stews.

So, a typical Congolese Christmas dish is a stew with mixed vegetables, rice, and meat. The dessert is usually simple, like dried fruit or nuts.

Congolese people living in rural areas don’t eat Christmas pudding or gingerbread. Still, people living in urban areas sometimes buy festive foods imported from other countries, concluding mince pies and fruitcakes.

Some people bake cookies or granola bars with peanut butter and nuts, which are plentiful in Congo. As for drinks, Congolese often make lotoko, home-distilled alcohol made from maize, cassava, or plantain.

Its alcohol content often exceeds 50%, so the drink was banned by the government, but locals drink it regardless if they have no better options.

Congolese also like beer, and the good news is that there’s no shortage of beer in most regions. Those who can’t afford beer drink palm wine. People in cities who can afford better drinks may indulge in tropical cocktails.

Congolese Christmas feast is usually a laid-back event, and most food is prepared on a grill outdoors. Barbecue in African countries is known as a braai.