How Kenyan celebrities are spending Christmas this year

Singer Bien encouraged his fans to prioritise family during the holidays, while also reflecting on gratitude and compassion for those facing difficult moments.

“It has been a beautiful year for me, but it has also been a tough year for many people,” Bien said. “I am grateful to God for carrying us through, and I pray for those who haven’t had an easy year. Some are going through difficult moments right now, and I hope they still get to experience a good Christmas. I’m spending the holidays in Kajiado with my wife and family.”

Asked about his fondest childhood Christmas memories, Bien recalled church traditions that left a lasting impression.

“I remember singing Malako, a Christmas carol that was often a competition among churches. When we were kids, we used to perform it and even won trophies,” he said with a smile. “The Christmas we won the Malako trophy was very special to us.”

He also shared a deeply personal memory tied to that period. “That Christmas was also the last one I spent with my aunt, whom I loved deeply. It is a memory I still hold close.”

Bien concluded with a simple but powerful message to his fans: “No matter what you do on Christmas day, family first.”

Content creator Milly Chebby says this year she will be celebrating Christmas at her home in Kiambu with a few close friends.

“Most years, we spend Christmas back home in shags, but this time, I chose to treat my siblings and my mum to a holiday instead.”

Her most treasured childhood memories, she says, are closely tied to Christmas traditions.

“My mum made it a tradition to buy us new outfits every year until I was 20 and left home, often matching outfits for all of us. Another highlight was the feast: chapatis and chicken. It was consistent, simple, and truly everything we needed. My late dad would also buy us gifts, which we excitedly opened on Boxing Day.”

Now a mother herself, Milly is intentional about recreating those moments with her daughter.

“I have now decided to recreate these traditions for my daughter, who is old enough to understand what Christmas means. I’ve bought her a Christmas outfit and will also get her a gift, so she can grow up with the same beautiful memories I cherish.”

The Christmas tree also played a special role in her childhood celebrations where they used to make their own tree from a cypress branch on December 24, so it wouldn’t dry up too early.

"It was one of the simple joys that made Christmas feel magical,” she reminisced.

For media personality Willy M Tuva, Christmas will largely be spent at work — but not in the usual sense.

“For me, Christmas begins with church, giving thanks, followed by visiting and sharing with the needy through my foundation - Mzazi Foundation. I will have some quality time with my family too,” he shares.

“Beyond that, Christmas is very much a working season for me. I will be behind the microphone, hosting my show on Radio Citizen.”

On Christmas Day, his schedule will also include preparations for Kilifi Rising Stars, a talent discovery and empowerment project he recently launched in partnership with the County Government of Kilifi.

“Young people will cross into the new year empowered,” he says.

Beyond the busy schedule are fond childhood memories that continue to shape his outlook.

“New, classy clothes were bought and carefully kept until Christmas Day. There was the familiar smell of new shoes, and the excitement of finally stepping out, feeling special.”

Now a parent, Tuva is deliberate about passing on that same excitement.

“I have given my children enough money each to shop for trendy clothes of their choice, allowing them to enjoy the build-up to the day,” he says.

Socialite Vera Sidika is opting for family time and a return to her roots in Kakamega County.

“I will be spending time with my family- my children, my mother and my grandmother,” she shares.

Her earliest Christmas memories are rooted in simple family traditions. “They were never matching outfits, but my mother had a clear sense of style, and that individuality made the experience memorable.”

Today, her focus is on creating meaningful experiences for her children.

“I am in the village spending time with my great grandmother. This will be my children first introduction to the village and farm life. I want them to experience it first-hand,” she says. “Exposing them to that environment is part of building memories that will stay with them as they grow.”

As the year draws to a close, she reflects with gratitude. “It has been an amazing and fulfilling year for me,” she says.

For content creator Kabi Wa Jesus, Christmas is less about staying in one place and more about shared experiences. “This year we are choosing the outdoor plan, including road trips and even camping with the children,” he said.

Intentionality, he explains, is at the heart of those plans: “The idea is not just to travel and stay somewhere, but to truly explore and travel with my family, building memories along the way.”

For him, Christmas creates rare moments of connection.

“The season carries some of the strongest family memories because it is often the only time when everyone slows down enough to truly be together,” Kabi says.

“Families rarely get the chance to walk together, talk together, and simply exist in the same moment. Christmas creates that rare space where people get to know each other again.”

Looking back at 2025, family remains his biggest highlight. “Our content has matured, attracting a more mature audience and growing together over time,” he adds.

Lifestyle content creator Christine ‘Koku’ Lwanga describes this year’s Christmas as purposeful.

“I will be spending Christmas with family. But more so, I’ll be prepping for my upcoming exams. I have been upskilling in my cloud computing tech career and will be utilising this time off to ace some tests. It means a little less cooking, but I will still make some lovely treats for my family.”

Her love for Christmas was shaped early on.

“My mother always decorated the house and I do the same with my children to pass on the tradition. The sort of marker that the holidays are here,” Koku says.

For comedian Mulamwah, Christmas is first and foremost about people.

“I treat this season as the right time to socialize with family and meet the new additions in our families. Those who have gotten married this year, we meet their people and those who have welcomed new children,” he shares. “I will be in the village with my brother, my father and the community.”

He also makes time to visit those in need.

“Moving from home to home, visiting friends and relatives, filled the days with warmth and excitement,” he says.

For gospel musician Daddy Owen, December usually comes with packed schedules — until this year.

“I am heading back to the village, not for work, not for appearances, but for family,” he says. “He wants to walk me through our family tree, step by step, generation by generation, a living archive of who we are and where we come from. I plan to document every story, every name, every memory, so that my children won’t grow up disconnected from their history.

“The Christmas table will go beyond the usual fare of goat or chicken but guinea fowl (lhkhanga), ducks (lhibata), and turkey (lhikulukulu), turning the season into something memorable for the children, nephews, and nieces.”

As night falls, fireworks will light up the rural sky.

“This is a kind of wealth that money cannot buy,” he adds.

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