Christmas in yesteryear Guyana

Dec 24, 2012 Letters

Dear Editor,
Growing up in Guyana, Christmas was a secular kind of holiday as it signaled the end of the year. Growing up in Berbice, I remember it as being celebrated by every religious group though non-Christians didn’t partake in the church aspects of the festival. Everyone, regardless of faith, looked forward for the season as it was a time for new clothing and special meals. It was a time when the races got together and there was hardly any conflict.
Some of the secular activities associated with Christmas are going shopping for new items, including clothing and decoration for the home, gift-giving, feasting, exchanging cards, charity, listening to music, watching shows like the masquerade bands, going to the horse races, visiting friends and relatives for meals, etc.
The season offered the opportunity for renewal within the home – the equivalent of a spring-cleaning in N.Y, and many Caribbean people still hold on to that practice in North America and England.
Preparation for the holiday started weeks before X-mas even among non-Christians and the poorest sections of society. Hindus and Muslims were ready for the holidays which are a continuation of their festivals of Eid and Diwali.
People wanted their homes to look nice. So one of the activities was remodeling the home; old curtains were washed or replaced. New cushions may be in place along with new spreads on the beds and new pillows to welcome the new season. In some homes, polishing and varnishing of old furniture and the floor were done. The yard was clean as a whistle.
The Christmas tree is up or a tropical tree on the front yard was lit up. In the past, few people could afford a X-mas tree or even decorations. But as family members migrated and sent home remittances and or decorations, more and morepeople began putting up trees and decorating their homes with fancy lights. Even the poorest have lights strung up. The homes and neighborhoods are festooned with trimmings, balloons and other decorations. And the shopping districts are also well decorated but perhaps not as elaborate (except for the wealthy) as in some of the busiest areas in NY.
No Caribbean Christmas is without special music. As in North America, Christmas carols were very popular – the same ones heard in North America although there are local ones as well. Businesses advertised their Christmas goods and services early and as such radio and television stations started Christmas programming much sooner than in North America — around mid-November. And the music of the masquerade band was evident almost everywhere.
Christmas music was also performed in churches in regular worship services. Church members also perform as carol singers in public places to raise funds for the church.
The season is associated with giving gifts — to relatives, friends, business associates, children, and the needy. Children were told that their gifts were brought by Father Christmas and that they should hang
socks. They were encouraged to go to bed by midnight so that Santa can bring their gifts. Gifts were opened in the morning, generally with squeals of delight from the children.
Christmas is a time for family get-together. The animal was killed.
Families prepare food, cakes and other goodies served with traditional homemade drinks. There was a lot of excitement in baking bread or cake.
Relatives, friends and co-workers were invited for a hearty meal. Among the main items served are black cake, ginger beer, apples, grapes, walnuts, dates, etc. A variety of sweets and drinks, including ginger beer, sorrel, cydrax, peardrax, mauby, sherry wine, and hard liquor were also served with the traditional cuisine. In the old days, the “black cake” or sponge cake was served as dessert.
The holiday season extended over on Boxing Day. And the celebration continued with more of the same and repeated itself for Old Year and New Year.
The season was a time for new movies and many people would go to the cinemas to view hit movies from India or Hollywood.
Vishnu Bisram

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