Gillian’s festive wish

A little while ago, as I was about to close shop and head on home, two lovely families happened to visit my shop. Both were visitors from Johannesburg.

The father, having seen the exquisite holiday displays in the window, had brought his children to see this Christmas fantasyland. This delighted me, and I kept thinking about these families the whole night, for the simple reason that they just had so much excitement and joy about celebrating Christmas.

The two daughters were not that young, but the Dad said that, as a family, they still read the Christmas story together every year. You should have seen these two gorgeous teenage girls’ faces when I showed them some stunning teddy bears. I did laugh as the Dad bought the teddies with promises that they would be packed away until Christmas. Well, I was a child once, and I have to wonder??!  I think a peek every now and then may be tempting!

Remembering the birth of Jesus Christ at this time is the very essence of this holiday, but it is also the coming together of family and friends to share a meal or special gifts, that makes this day so special.

What is it about the holidays that make them so special for so many people around the world?

Close to Christmas time, the Jewish community celebrates the festival of Hanukkah (the Festival of the Lights). The lighting of candles, and the giving of a little gift every day for the eight days is a special tradition that has been celebrated for thousands of years. We lived in Las Vegas for a number of years, and celebrated that festival with special friends who I still keep in touch with.

I had sent my son to the Hebrew Academy as it was the best education I could get for him in the area we lived, and so had met many of these families. This festive season I have brought, from suppliers in New York, gorgeous gifts for all ages for Hanukkah.

When we look at the celebration of Ramadan, where gifts are given to those less fortunate, and Diwali, where platters of the most delicious delicacies are always given to friends and families . . . it makes us realise that somehow the very essence of these so diversely celebrated religions (with sometimes such intolerance for each other) is so often about family, friends and giving.

Until I moved to Ballito nine years ago, I knew little of the Indian culture or history. Having sent my son to Crawford in Tongaat, and again making special friends that will always be dear to my heart, I bought a great book on the celebration of the different Indian cultures in our country.

I have had the pleasure of attending many Indian celebrations here over the years with many of the most esteemed Indian families in our land. (And here I just cannot resist remembering that magnificent Bollywood Concert held at Absa stadium a few years back). We sat in the front row surrounded by Deputy Mayor, Logie Naidoo and Geevie his always cheerful wife, and so many other esteemed Indian families. Anant Singh had brought this exquisite show out from India. And thanks to him, we had a few dinners and celebrations with these stars just before Christmas . . . I still have the book Amitabh Bachchan signed for me at Zimbali Lodge . . . and must say that Shahrukh Khan certainly made me want to bangra………..(those hips also don’t lie)!

I too remember it was Mr and Mrs Moosa who hosted and invited my family to the premiere of The Passion of the Christ, produced by the now infamous Mel Gibson.

I had read about Kwanza while living in America and how the descendents of the truly revolting trade of slavery, celebrated a lighting of the Kwanza candles at the very same period we celebrate Christmas. (I smile here as I so nagged my husband to take me to the Kwanza festival; even now, when I travel to the United States to handpick goodies for my shop, many black people are astounded to meet a white African). I have actually had someone call over all the drivers at a show in Dallas to say “Come and see y’all….a white African)!”

How we laughed. From that day on for a week, when they fetched me from the superb Hilton Hotel in the suburb President Bush lives in, I was the one they chatted to. Maybe with our country put on the map this year with the awesome World Cup celebration people might have a better understanding of where we stand as a nation . . . and the diversity in our beautiful land.

So, this year as we celebrate, let’s try to remember we have the right to celebrate our own beliefs. It is part of the very core of Ubuntu or nation building as, without tolerance, how can we ever achieve what Gandhi and Mandela taught us, that we must move on and forgive what we can to be a truly awesome nation.  – By Gillian Kaatze. Gillian’s exclusive festive store is at Crowthorne Corner, Garlicke Drive, Ballito.