That convivial time of the year is back! Ah! Christmas. It is time for people to get together and spread the holiday cheer. It’s about human contact and an invaluable way of getting together with far-flung friends and relations.

Well, we all could use a little joy this festive season, and guess what? Home is where the heart is, and it is where the magic happens – and this year, we are living the Christmas dream with Coca-Cola’s Real Magic!

Deeply rooted in the idea that magic lives in the unexpected moments of connection, the Coca-Cola Real Magic focuses on making the little things we do into extraordinary feats of greatness.

And in a seemingly divided world, it is only when people come together that they realize that what sets them apart is trivial compared to what they have in common.

The past two years have taken a toll on everyone. With job losses resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, business shutdowns, lockdowns, movement restrictions, disruption of economies, and more, everyone has had a fair share of things to let go, and enough to look forward to.

Amidst everything, there is only one way to end the year, by creating happiness through shared experiences. One Albert Schweitzer once said, “Happiness is the only thing that multiplies when you share it.”

In that spirit, Coca-Cola is here with you; to bring cheer, joy, and blessings in abundance, to a location near you.

While the Coca-Cola Real Magic Caravan moves from one city to another, spreading love and merry, this festive season also gives you the chance to share a great meal with Coke, or an afternoon with your loved ones and deep conversations over a pack of iced coke.

It’s in these simple pleasures that valuable experiences and connections are developed. By simply coming together and sharing a Coke, or hanging out with friends, we begin to attach deeper meanings to every experience.

Moments like these allow us to truly feel our emotions and treasure each other. They nurture our ability for emotional empathy and to understand each other better. These connections then give our own lives a sense of meaning.

No matter how small, shared experiences resulting from mutual care and a feeling of being valued, are remarkably intense. This is why something as simple as sharing a bottle of Coke during which a brief but meaningful conversation can take place fashions an opportunity for people to deepen their understanding of each other and strengthen the meaning of a relationship. This creates longer-lasting bonds and helps people feel better connected to those around them – and this is ‘Real magic’

 

Coca-Cola Vice president, East and Central Africa Franchise Debra Mallowah addressing guests during the launch of the Coca-Cola Christmas caravan in Mombasa in November.

It is no surprise that today, our negative bias can lead us down a path of unhappiness and resignation. A critical step in building resilience against this negativity is by banking on positive experiences that remind us of the possibility and opportunities around us.

Meaningful relationships offer the opportunity for regular moments of joy, pleasure, fun, and content.

By sharing a Coke this Christmas, we also get an opportunity to broaden our sense of purpose. Since every festive season brings together different generations together, there exists a huge opportunity for parents to build meaningful relationships with their children, grandchildren, and, as they live longer, their great-grandchildren.

Helping young generations solve a problem, or the young ones helping their peers with technological challenges, allows everyone to remain relevant, to recognize that despite the age difference, there is a shared value in that moment of drinking a coke. The skills and needs of both generations fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

Therefore, this Christmas, let us create and hold onto that moment where someone else’s laughter makes us laugh, or their enthusiasm and curiosity draws us closer. Let this natural desire, and the need for us to form social connections and empathize with others live through the spirit of Coca-Cola’s Real Magic in 2021.

It is not just a tagline, it is a philosophy that reinforces Coca-Cola’s purpose to refresh the world and make a difference.

As the Coca-Cola Real Magic caravan makes stops at various towns and centres across Kenya to give products and other gifts, you can do the same too by sharing and rewarding the needy with the little you have. This way, you can help them celebrate the real magic of the festive season with Coca-Cola.

Whether it’s with old friends or new, those your age or younger members of the family, take time every day, from today, to pay attention to moments for meaningful conversations, find opportunities to laugh, a lot, and remember, happiness is not something that happens to you, it is created by you.

IK is a Masinde Muliro University graduate. His interests are in news and analysis on women's rights, politics, technology, law, and global affairs.

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