Melkam Ganna

My aunt Karen sent this over so I thought I would share it with all of you. Enjoy!

Ethiopia is a country in Africa. It has mountains. There are deserts. There are lakes. It does not rain very much. Vegetables are grown there. Coffee is another crop. People have been living there for over five million years. A holiday is celebrated there on January 7th. It is called Ganna. It is the Ethiopian Christmas. Ganna begins in churches. Girls and boys do not sit together. Choirs sing. People have candles. They walk around the church three times. They stand during the service. It lasts three hours. Food is a big part of Ganna. People eat bread. It is flat. It is like a pancake. Chicken stew is the main meal. The flat bread is a plate for the stew. It is also like a fork. People scoop up the stew with the bread. Many people give gifts during the holidays. In Ethiopia, gifts are not important. Children do not get toys. They get clothes. Spending time with family is important. Much of the day is spent playing. People dance. A game is played. It is like hockey. It is played with sticks and balls. Ganna is about celebrating with family. There are holiday traditions. There are simple gifts. There is a lot of food. Melkam Ganna!