December is almost here again, and you know what it means in Nigeria – Detty December. Detty December is a term that began to trend recently in Nigeria. December is a festive period in Nigeria. Apart from the normal Christmas celebrations, there are parties and events such as weddings, housewarmings, child dedications, wedding anniversaries, retirement parties and even burials.
December is a period when people travel to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones. The Igbo people of South-East Nigeria are particularly known for travelling long distances to their villages for Christmas. This is also a period when young eligible single people will meet their future spouses, when Nkechi will meet Emmy Malaysia and Chukwudi will meet Onyinye, daughter of the highly-respected Akabogu family.
Anyway, all these are part of detty December. So let’s take a look at this term and what it entails.
What is detty December?
Urban Dictionary has a funny definition of detty December. The site refers to the term as a time in December, especially in Lagos, Nigeria, when you lose your home training and party with all your might to make up for the hard work you’ve put in from January till November. The dictionary also adds that themes involve concerts, vacations, parties and bullshit.
There is still a lot of speculation about where detty December originated from. One unverified source stated that detty December originated from the European country, Georgia. December is a period of harmattan where everywhere is covered with dust. The source said Georgians usually prepare for December in April and when asked, they’ll say they’re preparing for “dirty December.”
Nigerians who travelled to Georgia brought the tradition to Nigeria with a little twist. Instead of “dirty December,” Nigerians call it “detty December” to signify vivacious partying.
Other sources claim detty December originated from the famous Calabar festival, featuring an international parade of dancing beautiful women.
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Detty December in Lagos
Lagos is Nigeria’s most vibrant commercial city, where people from all works of life settle to do their transactions. Lagos is also a hub of the entertainment industry, the heart of Nollywood and music. As expected, the nightlife will be crazy fun. Detty December is a lifestyle in Lagos, with many Nigerians in diaspora returning to the city to enjoy life to the fullest.
Celebrations take place at house parties, street carnivals, beach hangouts and nightclubs spanning the mainland and island districts of Lagos. Individuals, multinationals, the state government and even churches tend to outdo one another to host the biggest concerts in the city by inviting music stars to headline their shows. Of course, Afro-pop is the main genre of music you will hear during these concerts as music stars like Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Fireboy, Tiwa Savage, and others will be booked to perform. This is also a time for comedians to be in their best elements as they are often invited to crack jokes in these shows.
Also, weddings are scheduled to coincide with the December period so that many diasporans and other people with heavy pockets can attend. For the average Lagosian, December is a period of enjoyment, a time for dorime. The hustle continues after the New Year.
Many, especially Nigerians from the diaspora, cannot wait for detty December to begin so they can come back to paint the whole city red. If you want to enjoy the craziest fun in Nigeria, visit Lagos in December.
How to enjoy detty December
Below are 8 effective ways to enjoy detty December on a budget.
Select the events you want to attend
Don’t get carried away by the feel of the season. It’s so easy to forget that life continues after detty December. The truth is there will be many fun activities, shows, parties, events, etc., throughout the season. So, plan ahead the type of shows or events you want to attend. The key to making the plan is to know the shows where you will have most fun. Concentrate on those ones and leave out the rest.
Create a budget
Now that you have identified the shows you’ll likely attend, it’s time to create a budget around them so you won’t start the new year with an empty bank account. Creating a budget is important to prevent calling out your “stingy” uncles and aunties. This budget must cover all your expenses for the month.
Save
If you must do detty December, you have to save ahead like your life depends on it. Cut down on unnecessary expenses. Ensure that the money you saved is totally different from your daily budget.
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Buy tickets on time
Oh yes, the earlier you buy your tickets, the better. This is because early buyers almost always purchase tickets with some discounts. Don’t wait until the tickets are in hot demand to make your own purchase. You may regret it when your account starts crying in sifia pain.
Make a shopping list
You can’t do detty December looking like you’re the only one SAPA is dealing with. Create a list of things you need for the celebrations. Top on the list should be your wardrobe. If you can, replace the old clothes with the new ones. Take advantage of the Black Friday or other Christmas discounts to stock up as much as possible.
Organise a house party
Who says you can only enjoy detty December at expensive sold out shows? You can host a fun house party and have the time of your life with your friends and loved ones. First of all, there will be no cost of the venue as your house is enough for the party. You don’t need a DJ or live band if you have a good sound system. Just concentrate on the food and drinks which will be budgeted according to the number of invited guests. If possible, ask everyone coming to contribute to “item 7.”
Attend street carnivals and festivals
Street carnivals and festivals are often cheap, if not free. They are also fun as well because you get to watch impressive displays and mingle with new people. There will be many of them during the festive period. It’s left for you to select the ones you can attend.
Have some extra cash
Have you heard of vex money? It’s very important. Life is often unpredictable and things may not turn out as you plan. So, it’s best to be prepared for anything. Have some extra money on you always as you flex your detty December.
Impediments to a perfect detty December
- SAPA: When you don’t have money, you can’t do detty December.
- Insecurity: With the insecurity issues in Nigeria, detty December might not be as enjoyable as it was before. Anybody can fall victim to armed robbery, banditry, kidnapping and other insecurity issues that Nigeria is currently battling.
- Bad friends: There are numerous cases of people being poisoned or set up for disaster by their so-called close friends. This may put a dent to a carefully planned detty December. It’s all man for himself now, which is sad. What’s detty December without friends?
- Accidents: Detty December usually means that not everyone should be driving on the road. Many flexing motorists will get drunk and accidents are bound to happen. Also, accidents don’t only happen on the roads. There are accidents at home and even at events.
- Food allergies/poisoning: No one expects to eat home food all the time during the festive periods. In fact, this is the perfect period to patronise all the restaurants and joints you can afford. Unfortunately, most of these places don’t consider people’s food tolerance in terms of allergies. It can cause a serious problem for someone during detty December.
Finally, if you must do detty December, be prepared for it. Don’t start your preparations when it is too late. Plan ahead, create your budget and you will have a memorable detty December.
