Excessive drinking and 4 other festive season habits Kenyans should quit
Every year, December arrives with the same energy. Suddenly, everyone is talking about plans, outfits, road trips, mbuzi choma, and who is hosting whom.
Social media turns into a comedy festival, with people warning their friends, “If you have strict parents, sit this one out,” and the classic reminder that Kenyan sherehe has no brake system.
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It is the one month where people behave like enjoyment is a national duty and rest is optional. But in between the excitement, the memes, and the pressure to outdo last December, we also repeat the same tired habits that always come back to bite us in January.
Also Watch: Narok town drowns in excessive liquor consumption
This year, maybe it is time to enjoy the season without recycling the same chaos. Here are five festive habits that Kenyans need to quit for good.
1. Drinking like the festive season is a competition
Something happens to Kenyans when the calendar hits December. Calm adults suddenly behave like they are training for an international drinking championship. Shots appear from nowhere, bottles multiply, and someone always says “One last one”, which ends up being nine more.
And then morning comes with confusion, regrets, and unanswered questions. You do not need to black out to prove you had fun. Enjoy your drink, but stop testing your liver like you are trying to win a trophy.
2. Overspending just to look festive
If December had a spirit animal, it would be peer pressure. People start shopping like they are being filmed for a reality show. New clothes, fancy restaurants, gifts for relatives they barely know, and plans that their bank accounts never approved.
Then January shows up, and suddenly everyone becomes humble, prayerful, and extremely quiet. You don’t need to break the bank to enjoy the holidays. Live within reason because January always arrives on time.
3. Party hopping without safety in mind
December gives Kenyans the illusion that they have the stamina of superheroes. One minute someone is at brunch, then a rooftop party, then a night event, then afterparty number two, and they still ask what else is happening.
In all that movement, safety goes out the window. People accept random rides, lose their friends, forget their bags, or drink things they did not see being poured. Sherehe is fun, but you must keep your brain switched on. Know your people, know your ride home, and know when it is time to leave.
4. Eating carelessly
Holiday food is unmatched, but common sense often disappears. People eat from grills that look suspicious, pile their plates until they cannot see the bottom, and trust meat that is clearly still negotiating with heat.
In big gatherings, hygiene sometimes becomes optional with food sitting out all day and everyone serving themselves with hands that have been greeting half the village. December food should make you happy, not send you to the clinic. Enjoy, but respect your stomach.
5. Saying yes to everything and burning out
December is packed with events. Family gatherings, weddings, church programs, road trips, office parties, mbuzi events, and endless meet-ups. Before you know it, your entire month is controlled by other people, and you have no single day to breathe. You do not have to attend every function. Rest is also part of the holiday. Say no when you need to. Choose peace over pressure.
