Chapter Fifteen

Nonetheless, she held onto hope that they would have a meal for dinner. In the small village of Alaenyi Ogwa, whenever there was a festive event like a wedding, thanksgiving, or even a burial, everyone would spontaneously come together to help. That day, my grandmother felt a glimmer of happiness because a young lady was having her traditional wedding in the evening. As someone in charge of cooking for such events, my grandmother was confident she would bring food for her husband and children. However, she would have been happier to provide her children with a proper Christmas dinner instead of relying on free food.

'I'm sure all of you will enjoy this tea,' she said with a forced joy, yearning to give her children a real Christmas feast. 'And if your friends ask about our meal today, just tell them that our family wanted a change from the usual rice and chicken stew. We wanted to have bamboo tea and biscuits.' My grandmother reached out to touch my father's arm. 'I would like you to help me gather the leaves.'

'Yes, Mother,' my father eagerly agreed.

Children are indeed easily pleased, my grandmother thought, a grin forming on her face as she whispered to herself.

My beautiful grandmother had a knack for finding joy and bringing smiles to people's faces. She knew how to make the best of any situation. As a princess, she was accustomed to drinking tea in her home, but not on special occasions like Christmas, when tea was served as a dessert rather than the main course. However, my grandmother was known as the forgotten princess. If she hadn't been forgotten and cast aside from the palace, her husband and children wouldn't have had to endure such hardships. But since she was the crown princess, next in line to her father's throne, she was dismissed by her jealous stepbrothers and stepsisters.

Following my grandmother to the nearby bushes to gather bamboo leaves, my father looked at his siblings and smiled. That day marked the beginning of our family's tradition of bamboo tea and biscuits.

To set the mood that day, my grandfather played Bruce Springsteen's Santa Claus is Coming to Town for his children. The lively tune permeated the air, as it did every Christmas in our family. The playlist comprised approximately forty beloved classic Christmas songs, with each melody contributing to the festive ambiance of the day.

Every year, all members of our family travelled home for this special day. Witnessing the joy and laughter that filled our hearts each Christmas warmed my grandmother's heart. I could only imagine how happy my grandfather would have been if he were still with us.

Even though our table was adorned with a variety of sumptuous dishes, we always performed our Christmas tea tradition before indulging in the food. The aroma of the tea was unforgettable, and each sip reminded me of the love with which it was prepared.