An Ethiopian Christmas

Christmas, a time for family, friends, food and fun!

I get to have two Christmases this year.  Living in Ethiopia with a different calendar (based on the coptic calendar), Ethiopian Christmas is celebrated on January 7 (of the Gregorian calendar).  Confused?  I wouldn’t worry too much about it, just think of it this way – not only are you 7 years younger (it is 2004), but you also get to celebrate all those great holidays twice each year!!  So, confused or not, bring on the celebrations.

This year, our mamita (in our case cook and cleaner) invited us to her house to celebrate Christmas with her family.  It was a great day, and a wonderful opportunity to see how other cultures celebrate this event.

The delicious dishes for a great Christmas feast (just roll me out the door when I am finished).  You might notice a lack of cutlery – you eat with your right hand, trying very carefully not to use your left (please tell me I don’t have to elaborate on why?!).

Injera (staple of almost every meal – sour pancake), Beans with carrot, Bure Alicha Wat (mild beef-mince stew with hard boiled eggs), Aib (yoghurt cheese), Bure Kai Wat (beef spicy stew).

Breaking bread – this is a 3kg large round bread made for special occasions – eaten after the main meal.  Cutting it up appears to be the man’s job.

The coffee ceremony then produces lots of smoke from the roasting coffee beans and frankincense – but wonderful smells.  Popcorn is also a staple of the coffee ceremony.

Pouring the coffee is an art.  From at least half a metre up, the freshly brewed coffee is poured into small cups.  Sugar is always added and rarely milk.

Family portrait time – the wonderful family I had the honour to spend my Ethiopian Christmas with – Thank you.

Melkam genna / Merry Christmas,

Erin.

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