Family Day: December 25
Family Day is a public holiday in São Tomé.
In São Tomé e Principe, December 25 is celebrated as Family Day, a holiday likely created as an alternative to Christmas. It is a public holiday not only in São Tomé but also in other African countries like Angola and South Africa.
History of Family Day in São Tomé
The origin of Family Day on the islands of São Tomé e Principe isn’t clear. Some countries have historically picked up holidays from other countries, and in São Tomé it may have happened in the same way.
For instance, in Canada the story of Family Day started in the 1990s, when Premier Don Getty was facing a family scandal about his son being arrested for possession and use of cocaine. When the case was published in the papers, Getty expressed regret and took the blame for not spending enough time with his family. In response, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, Helen Huntley, instituted Family Day to promote quality time between family members.
Sometime during the 1970s in Manhattan, a similar story set into motion a movement that led the UN General Assembly to put their efforts behind proposals to create a Global Family Day. In a public school of Manhattan, four children were talking about the year 2000, believing that by that year, all the people in the world would come together in one day in peace and friendship to celebrate and grow closer. Twenty-five years later that conversation inspired a novel entitled “Tree Island” by the mother of one of those children.
The book motivated the author to gather in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains a group of fifty millennium groups from around the world to dedicate themselves to make the turning of the millennium a turning point for humanity, and January 1 was then instituted as World Peace Day and Family Day.
Like in São Tomé, Family Day may be celebrated on other dates, and it usually falls near another holiday so that it gives families a complimentary day aside from the regular holiday for more time to be together.
São Tomé’s Family Day Traditions, Customs and Activities
The day blends with the Christmas celebrations in São Tomé e Principe. It’s a day that families usually spend together while different organizations try to promote family values through meetings and gatherings. Since in São Tomé there are several religious tendencies, Christians follow the Christian traditions for Christmas Day, ones that tend to focus on the family. For other religions Family Day is an alternative to Christmas Day, and it is an opportunity to spend time with friends and family alike. You can expect on this day a lavish table of Portuguese-inspired dishes like roasted goat, chicken, or beef served with palm oil, and bottled beverages, which are a luxury in this poverty-ridden country.
Other interesting posts:
- São Tomé Day Celebrated in São Tomé e Príncipe
- Sao Tome Marks Agricultural Reform Day
- Sao Tome and Principe’s Liberty Heroes’ Day
- Sao Tome salutes Armed Forces Day
- Christmas Is Celebrated in Portugal
Other interesting posts:
