Ethiopian Christians celebrate Christmas

ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Christians across the East African country are celebrating Christmas on Sunday.

Wishing happy Christmas to all Christians, religious leaders of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church, the Ethiopian Catholic Church, and the Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia, have called for kindness and unity during Genna (Ethiopian Christmas) celebration.

Following the church services started on the eve of the main holiday, festivities continue with people enjoying special foods and drinks, as well as visiting and exchanging seasonal greetings with friends, neighbors, and relatives.

It is the custom here that at household level, families purchase chicken, sheep, goats, and oxen while preparing special bread locally called "Diffo" in Amharic language, as well as drinks of house-made beer, "Tella", and a honey-wine "Tejj". The coffee ceremony, though it is held at ordinary times at household level, is conducted differently and colorfully during such celebrations.

Foods served at such occasions include "Doro Wot", which is a spicy chicken stew, and eaten with "Injera", a sourdough-risen flatbread traditionally made of teff flour.

Genna or Christmas celebration is accompanied by different games, especially by "Yegenna Chewata," a hockey-like game, which literary means "Christmas Game."

Ethiopia has got its own calendar, and Christians in the country celebrate Christmas about 10 days later than other Christians who celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25. Enditem