The hot chilli pepper that anchors most Ethiopian dishes is spread out under the open sun, laid carefully on the back of a pickup truck. Its deep red glow does more than signal ripeness; it announces the approach of Christmas and the preparations that trail behind it. The sharp scent of chilli hangs in the air, carrying the quiet anticipation of households already counting the days. In kitchens across the city, mothers are planning, grinding, and waiting, for the moment families gather around a shared meal, hands reaching across the plate for "gursha". Christmas is close enough to smell.

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