“When Christmas is happening, the time is always tense,” says Simon, who works for the Federation of Road Transport Union of Liberia (FRTUL). Starting as early as late November, hundreds of Liberians from the rural areas travel to Monrovia in order to get their Christmas wares. As a result, the city’s population increases – as does its traffic troubles.

Benetta Karneh (far right), lives in the Monrovia suburb of New Georgia. Like many residents of this area, Benetta relies on public transport to reach downtown Monrovia. Some days, she says she waits up to an hour just to secure a place in one of the minibuses.

In response to such long waits, the government recently acquired ten large city buses, each with 31 seats. Although overcrowding remains an issue, it is hoped that these buses will ease some of the strain on the city’s main transportation routes – particularly now with Christmas fast approaching.

The fever of the season is particularly felt in commercial areas such as Waterside. Clothes and electronics from China and the UAE, cosmetics from the US, sportswear from Europe – the streets overflow with imported gift items. Roads which are normally open for vehicles are now almost impassable, even on foot.

But that doesn’t mean business is necessarily any easier. As street vendor Aggray Gbosen tells Renaissance reporter Sahata Sambulleh, major competition between vendors selling Christmas decorations, combined with daily tax levies and transportation difficulties puts a lot of pressure on the individual sellers. As do the city police.

Even so, some things seem to remain uncontrollable. Taking advantage of the holiday demand, money changers in Monrovia have stated that exchange rates for ‘Liberty’ (Liberian Dollars) typically drop during the final weeks of Christmas shopping by as much as 5 Liberian to the US dollar – sliding from the regular high of 62 or 63 Liberty to the dollar, down to 58. It is a difference which greatly affects December shopping costs, and one which adds a whole new meaning to the Liberian-termed ‘Gold Month’.

With the early December breakout of more than 100 inmates from Monrovia’s Central Prison, fears of a spike in crime – particularly cases of armed robbery – have prompted local police to take an even firmer stance during this busy season.