When the calendar page stopped flipping at the December 25 point on Thursday, a familiar hum of anticipation resonated through the country’s cities’ of Lilongwe, Mzuzu, Zomba and Blantyre as well as all town, district and municipal councils.
It was Christmas and, six days later, January 1 will usher in a new year, 2026, which promises to be a global moment for renewed hope and fresh starts.
For many people, these intertwined celebrations are a cherished opportunity to elevate life’s everyday moments: to savour unique culinary delights, don new attire, indulge in small luxuries and forge lasting memories with work colleagues, schoolmates, beloved family members and friends.
In the heart of Blantyre yesterday, the commercial pulse quickened, as residents trekked to various shops to buy merchandise and other stuff.
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Amid this vibrant rush was Rozelyn Nyambo, a 28-year-old woman from Manja Township, whose mission brought her to one of the biggest shopping outlets at Ginnery Corner in the city.
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She was there to gather everything needed to celebrate not just with her immediate family and friends, but also to extend her generosity to neighbours.
“It’s time for celebrations and, as such, I have to create a special moment in my life and in lives of those around me,” Nyambo says.
For months, Rozelyn has diligently saved for these special days, driven by a desire not only for personal enjoyment but also by a profound spirit of sharing with those who are less fortunate.
Yesterday alone, her spending reached approximately K350,000.
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“I was here in the morning but there were too many people, so I just bought some groceries and went back home,” Rozelyn said, juggling her shopping bags. “I have come again to complete my shopping because I thought the situation has eased now.”
Rozelyn readily admitted that her festive spending significantly surpassed her usual daily budget, a common trend during this celebratory period.
She acknowledged the current high cost of living, reflected in soaring commodity prices, but for Rozelyn, the festive season is a unique occasion that demands a certain level of enjoyment.
“I know prices are high but this is a special time and we deserve to celebrate,” she said with a determined smile.
She assured, however, that her spending was carefully planned and calculated to avoid future hardship.
“There is life after the celebrations and, as such, we need to make sure we do not overspend. Shortly after this [Christmas and New Year celebrations], we will go back to normal life, needing food, school fees, fertiliser and many other essential necessities,” Nyambo said.
These celebrations have arrived at a challenging time for Malawi, with inflation projected at around 29 percent and a high cost of living.
Essential commodities such as sugar remain in short supply, with shoppers often limited to a maximum of two kilogrammes (kg) in an effort to balance supply and demand.
Businesses, too, have not been spared.
Stella Kavina, a 30-year-old woman from Bangwe-BCA township, sells chickens at Limbe Market.
She said chickens have been on demand during the festive season.
She, however, lamented the current economic climate.
“The economy is not sound, such that, unlike before, very few customers can afford to buy products from me.”
However, during the festive season, she noted a slight uptick in customers.
“At least the number of customers I serve has slightly gone up,” Stella said.
Economist Mavin Banda supports observations of increased spending during such celebrations.
Banda described the festive season as particularly unique, coming just months after the change of government.
“Malawians have worked throughout the year and would like to relax a bit during this time and traders, as well, would like to compensate their customers with discounts. This has an impact on inflation but the impact is not very huge.
“However, it is important for the government to establish and implement an economy recovery plan, to set the direction and give hope to Malawians, and even confidence in development partners, who can actually support where necessary,” Banda said.
On the other hand, Dr. Eric Omar, a psychologist based at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (Kuhes) said there were psychological drivers behind festive spending behaviours.
He cited emotional desires for connection, celebration and a temporary escape from daily stresses among the contributing factors.
“There are two things at the back of every behaviour: emotions and feelings. These two lead to a strong desire to do things, which in psychology we call impulse. [Impulse buying for example]. So, people usually end up overspending during such time, because they fail to self-regulate their feelings and emotions,” Omar said.
He said while such impulses are natural, a lack of self-control could lead to overspending, impacting mental wellbeing and productivity in the long run.
Omar added that inability to self-regulate one’s buying and spending behaviours during the festive season could lead a person into unplanned debt, depression and reduced productivity in the following months.
“If you overspend and end up in debt to cover up the expenses, for instance, you will create a funding gap that might take you the following six months [to recover from], paying the debt with interest and, in the process, you end up being depressed,” Omar said.
“A depressed person cannot be productive in their daily activities and, as a result, not just you, but many other people [who are] dependent on you, end up suffering and even your contribution to national development stalls for some time,” the psychologist said.
