Collective Bargaining

Collective Bargaining

Christmas

“Christmas is the season when you buy this year's gifts with next year's money” J

As all of us know Christmas is one of the most known annual feasts around the world. The Christmas season is celebrated in different ways around the world, varying by country and region. However, there are Common Elements to many areas of the world include the lighting of Christmas trees the hanging of wreaths, Christmas stockings, candy canes and the creation of Nativity scenes depicting the birth of Jesus Christ. 

Last year, I went down very early but my mother always tells me to wait for the rest of the family. When they come down I open my presents and every year I like what every one gets me. At night we have a roast dinner usually chicken,  unfortunately this year I’m not going to celebrate with my family, But I’m happy because I’m going to celebrate  here with my Costa Rican host family and friends.

Even though I’m not there let me share you something about Ethiopians Christmas. Really, it may be amazement for you that while the Gregorian calendar celebrates Christmas on the 25th of December, in Ethiopian calendar it falls on January 7th (Tahsas 29, in Ethiopian language).

The Ethiopian Christmas known as Ganna. On Ganna Eve, January 6, the city is crowded with pilgrims and tourists from all parts of the world.  The Ganna celebration is marked by various activities such as horse racing   and authentic folk dancing. In the rural areas a popular game which looks like European Hockey but is typically Ethiopian is conducted between two youth teams. The game is named after the festival and is called "Yegena Chewata".

The preparation of special food for the feast is an important part of those activities.  Food served at Christmas usually includes injera, a sourdough pancake like bread. Injera serves as both plate and fork. Doro wat, a spicy chicken stew might be the main meal. A piece of the injera is used to scoop up the wat. Baskets decorated beautifully are used to serve the wat. This Ganna  meal, which is served January 7, is preceded by major preparations that include the purchase and slaughter of an animal (typically a goat or cow).

So Christmas is a pretty great holiday, wouldn't you agree? There is so much to love about Christmas that it’s hard to pick out just three, but after thinking (and thinking some more) I decided. Here are my top three: receiving and giving presents (mostly receiving! I’m joking.), the marvelous light, and (of course) the tree. For all these qualities, I believe that Christmas is the best holiday!

Ethiopian's Food in Daily Life and Customs at Ceremonial Occasions./ የኢትዮጵያውያን ታዋቅ ምግብ እንጀራ ።

Ethiopian's Food in Daily Life is Injera, it's a spongy unleavened bread made from teff grain, is the staple of every meal. All food is eaten with the hands, and pieces of injera are ripped into bite-sized pieces and used to dip and grab stews ( wat ) made of vegetables such as carrots and cabbage, spinach, potatoes, and lentils. The most common spice is berberey, which has a red pepper base. 

The food taboos found in the Old Testament are observed by most people as the Ethiopian Orthodox Church prescribes them. The flesh of animals with uncloven hoofs and those that do not chew their cud are avoided as unclean. It is nearly impossible to get pork. Animals used for food must be slaughtered with the head turned toward the east while the throat is cut "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost" if the slaughterer is Christian or "In the name of Allah the Merciful" if the slaughterer is Muslim.

Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions. The coffee ceremony is a common ritual. The server starts a fire and roasts green coffee beans while burning frankincense. Once roasted, the coffee beans are ground with a mortar and pestle, and the powder is placed in a traditional black pot called a jebena . Water is then added. The jebena is removed from the fire, and coffee is served after brewing for the proper length of time. Often, kolo (cooked whole-grain barley) is served with the coffee.

Meat, specifically beef, chicken, and lamb, is eaten with injera on special occasions. Beef is sometimes eaten raw or slightly cooked in a dish called kitfo. Traditionally, this was a staple of the diet, but in the modern era, many of the elite have shunned it in favor of cooked beef.

During Christian fasting periods, no animal products can be eaten and no food or drink can be consumed from midnight until 3 P.M. This is the standard way of fasting during the week, and on Saturday and Sunday no animal products may be consumed, although there is no time restriction on the fast.

Honey wine, called tej , is a drink reserved for special occasions. Tej is a mixture of honey and water flavored with gesho plant twigs and leaves and is traditionally drunk in tube-shaped flasks. High-quality tej has become a commodity of the upper class, which has the resources to brew and purchase it.

Typical food of Ethiopian's/ የኢትዮጵያውያን   ታዋቅ  ምግብ  እንጀራ ።

Read more:  http://www.everyculture.com/Cr-Ga/Ethiopia.html#ixzz2kaHWzmqG