Nigerian Christmas a celebration with family

To the Editor:

Nigerian Christians celebrate Christmas in special ways. If possible, most return to the village of their ancestors, even those living abroad. Beginning early on Christmas Day, goats are brought to slaughter, and then the cooking and feasting begins. Children are all around, and there is a competition among grandmothers as to which “compound” is the noisiest, i.e., has the most people returning for the celebration.

The day is spent attending church, feasting, visiting, discussing and arguing various topics, including politics. Presents are for the children, who are each given a...