People are brainwashed into believing that consuming is a big part of celebrating. Just like if you don’t buy Turkey, then you have not celebrated Christmas. If you don’t toast to champagne, then what kind of a New Year is that? It’s crazy how we create a causal link between a material item and a day meant to be celebrated by either praying, fasting or practising togetherness.

While the world is preparing for Valentine’s Day, my corner of the world is back to back on those holidays/holy days. Saturday is Valentine’s Day as the shops are so obviously reminding us. Monday is Shrove Monday. Tuesday is the last day of Carnival/ Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras, and this year features Chinese New Year as well on the same Tuesday, where we will be welcoming in the Year of the Fire Horse. If you think we are done, then hang on for the last bit: Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, as well as the first day of the holy month of Ramadhan.

Between having a Chinese best friend and living in a country where Carnival is huge, I will be a blob of tired mass by the time the first day of Ramadhan comes around. The first Ramadhan in which I have formally indulged in material items. The plan is to hang Ramadhan decos and strand lights as a way of teaching my little one about the holy month.

Coming from Mombasa, I am used to the commercialisation of Eid celebrations, after all happiness and consumption go hand in hand. However, the materialisation of the Holy month of Ramadhan baffles yet unsurprisingly hoists us all up into the tornado of consumerism. Ramadhan deco, Ramadhan outfits, Ramadhan serving plates, even Ramadhan door wreaths and advent inspired calendars for kids.   

Since the birth of marketing and advertising, consumerism has been shoved down our throats. We are made to believe that if we don’t partake, then we are not really celebrating.

This weekend, we will all be sold overpriced flowers that will cost a fraction of the price next week. Heart-shaped goodies will be on huge displays wrapped in lovely red satin bows that entice us into believing the heart-shaped ones taste different from the plain round ones. Dinners at fancy restaurants will cost a pay cheque and a half.

Those who will indulge will be swept up in the romance of having celebrated by ticking the manmade boxes of how to celebrate love. Those who would not have received satisfactory material items to celebrate this day will huff and puff at the lack of physical items that are representative of feelings from loved ones.

It is unfortunate that we live in a world where we can no longer effectively express our feelings without a material item attached to each sentiment. If you love me cutely, a card and a bear surely. If you love me proudly, a hundred long-stemmed roses will do. If you love me magnanimously, a Mercedes-Benz is what the doctor prescribed!