Caribbean Entertainment Magazine - Volume 6 Nov - Dec 2013 | Page 32
CHRISTMAS IN THE CARIBBEAN
12 REASONS WHY WE LOVE CHRISTMAS IN THE CARIBBEAN
A
s a child growing up in the Caribbean Christmas was one of my favourite time of the year. I am sure many others
share my sentiment. As I sit here I reminiscing on my childhood remembering the many
good things I like about Christmas.
Here are 12 reasons spending Christmas in
the Caribbean is the best.
1.The smell of Christmas cake baking
The smell of cake baking all over the neighbourhood. Most Caribbean cakes are baked
the night or two days before Christmas day.
2. Making the house pretty
Every Christmas everything must be changed
within the house. New curtains, bed sheets
and bathroom rugs must be out. Some people
choose to repaint their houses, while others
maybe to a few rooms.
for decoration purposes.
5. Going to grand market on Christmas eve
All year we would save for this night. We
would leave for the town in the evening to go
and buy items on bargains. Stores are open all
night, therefore will be will shopping and
coming home wee hours in the mornings with
our purchase. Most time these are Christmas
gift we purchased for ourselves.
6. Getting a barrel from overseas
This meant getting new Christmas Clothes,
but my favourite part about getting the barrel
was the smell of the soaps, which I think were
Irish springs, but back then they smelled so
good.
7. The chill of Christmas in the air
In the Christmas season the weather was different , you could literally smell the freshness
in the year. The mornings were cool and the
wind blew gentle against your skin.
8. Popping firecrackers- To get that adrenaline rush, and overcome the fear of lighting a
Not many people could afford buying Christ- fire crackers famously called clappers; lightmas tree, therefore we had to improvise. We
ing an entire pack would send every one
would decorate the trees in the front yard.. Al - scampering for cover and laughing.
so the lights would be all over the windows
This was like a Christmas pastime. Every
and verandah.
Christmas morning we would wake to the
4. White washing the stones in the yard
popping sounds of firecrackers. The sound
could be heard randomly throughout the day.
Two days before Christmas everyone will be
outside in the garden painting the stones white
3. Putting up Christmas lights
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