Christmas in Uganda

Daniel has many ex-pat friends in Kampala so holidays need never be lonely. They socialize a lot and look out for each other (although being far away from home seemed to make a couple of his friends melancholy). I think it's those darned songs like "I'll Be Home for Christmas (in my dreams)" and "I'll Have a Blue Christmas Without You" that evoke nostalgia and longing for something. "Let it Snow" when it's hot outside is a bit strange. "Sleigh bells ring" ? No, maybe that was someone's cell phone. (Or maybe it was Daniel's special friend Halle calling; she's in Ohio spending the holidays with her family.)

So Danny and his Mom were invited for Christmas Eve dinner, along with eight other guests at Scott and Sarah's house, which sits high on a hill overlooking Kampala. Scott's family tradition has been the reading of The Night Before Christmas around the dinner table, taking turns, one page at a time, and started by the eldest person present. Guess who got to read first!? I don't know who told them.

Christmas Day was spent at Doug and Lizzie's house, with an even larger group of friends. It was a lovely mix of people -- Americans, Canadians, one guy from South Africa, one from Hawaii, a couple of girls from England, one girl who is Irish; some are in development work, NGOs or government, and some are business people.

We all pitched in with the cooking and had the Christmas buffet meal (probably 24 people in all) in the evening, centered around a big turkey Doug had bought live a few days ago and then killed today (after it got away and had to be chased down in a neighbor's yard yesterday). That turkey knew what was coming! Dinner was delicious. I have to admit the turkey was a little tough, probably because it was a normal, healthy turkey, like we used to get in the States before somebody figured out how to inject them with butter and chemicals so they're always tender and juicy nowadays.

It wasn't the Christmasiest Christmas I've ever had but that's okay. It didn't have to be. It can definitely be appreciated and written about -- albeit briefly. I was fortunate to be with one of my sons. I realize that 25 December, 2009 is probably the only Christmas I'll ever be in Kampala, Uganda celebrating it with my son.