Christmas and New Year in South Africa

In the run-up days to Christmas and New Year a lot of things happen in South Africa I will try to list them under their own headings.

 

Commercially

Most shops and even street vendors see Christmas as an opportunity to make money the shops get decorated and suddenly everything is on special

 even if it is not a special. And everyone start to buy Christmas presents. The shopping centers become over crowded because most of the schools have closed already in the last week of November till the second week in January for the summer holidays.

 

Holidays

Most families go on vacation for 2 to 4 weeks and a huge majority of them go to the coastal regions. Yes it do not snow in SA we go and cool of in the sea temperatures go up to 35 degrees Celsius in bigger part of SA. It is also raining season in the biggest part of SA. Not that it rain a lot if in a good year you get a thunder storm every second day or so. There fore coming from Europe take of the snow jackets before you land at Oliver Tambo Airport in Johannesburg.  Remember SA is on its best in the summer it is green and beautiful

 

Crime 

Crime in the big cities does pick up in the past it was blamed on the poor and unfortunate people but I start to believe it is more organized crime. Syndicates, that tries to rob shops and transport companies, of their cash. On 22 Dec the police arrested 30 armed men in 3 separate attempts to rob shops. House breakings also pick up because many houses are left alone for periods of up to 4 weeks. Picket pocketing does happen in shopping centers and you must be alert when doing shopping.

 

The les fortunate and homeless Children

A lot of organizations run welfare projects to give to them some thing for Christmas About every local radio station joins in on such projects. Most churches, Bikers clubs, and cultural groups are involved in welfare projects.

 

 What causes deaths during this time of the year?    

 I think the number one killer is alcohol people drink to much and then do stupid things like: Driving, Swim in the sea, Lighting fireworks and working along the side of busy roads and in front of oncoming traffic. Reckless driving and speeding on the roads is probably number two. Children drowning in swimming pools a day or two ago it was on the radio of 3 drowning in one day only in Johannesburg. On New years day the most people drown in the sea because it is overcrowded and they that can not swim while playing in the waves. People get killed in crime act but it is difficult to relate it to the festive season, these are things that happen through out the year. 

    

On Christmas and New Years day

Most families come together to celebrate Christmas day by giving present’s and some even attend church at 00h00 on Christmas day. Traditionally we eat on Christmas day If it is not a Braai (Barbeque with a proper fire) it is a huge cooked meal and then we still eat cake through the day we can eat in SA.