Christmas at home or abroad – ‘…once it’s with family’

Dec 25, 2012 News

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By Zena Henry
To the world, Christmas is that special time of year when almost everyone adjusts their demanding schedules to locate their families, often gathering at the houses they usually call home. It doesn’t matter, once it’s ‘with family,’ that is what Christmas is about.
It doesn’t even matter what one does on Christmas Day, it is however assumed that everyone will be spending it with their close relatives. It is expected that there would be a large gathering at the table for an offering that’s not your everyday meal.
Prior to today, it is customary that there would be a massive clean-up.
Many people may visit during the season, especially family members who will be around to enjoy the food and happiness the material things of Christmas provide.
Gifts are exchanged. That special something that once appeared inaccessible during the course of the year.
All, however, boils down to one thing…Christmas is nothing without family. That is why no matter where one is in world, Christmastime essentially says it’s “time to go home”.
It is especially so in Guyana. Guyanese simply love “spending Christmas with the family”. Some foreign-based Guyanese took time out to share their experiences.
Niota Thomas is a Guyanese living in Tortola and works as a utility cook at a cafeteria. The Number Nine Village West Coast Berbice resident is enthusiastic to be home for Christmas. For her it is a special occasion since, for the last 16 years she has not spent Christmas in Guyana.
With a huge smile, Thomas said she was looking forward to shopping, decorating her mom’s house, eating wonderful ‘home food’ and enjoying the company of her family. She related that Christmas in Tortola was nothing compared to that of Guyana since here, it is spent with those closest and dearest to her heart.
“People stay indoors in Tortola and there is not much happening on days leading up to the holiday. The heavy shopping and lavish sporting is noticeable, but that is about it.  The necessary cleaning is customary and the decorations are done, but Christmas is only Christmas once it’s with family,” Thomas reflected with a smile.
When Ingrid Allen is in Guyana, she stays with her eldest daughter at Kuru Kuru on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. Allen who is a seamstress living in Trinidad and Tobago, said that her visit to Guyana is in honour of her daughter. She said she recognizes and acknowledges the importance of spending time with her family and the Christmas season is “the perfect time”.
Allen said she has other children who live in Trinidad, but her daughter here, who has a lovely family, will always be dear to her heart. She spent one week with her daughter and her family, and says “that will be like their Christmas Day”. Allen shopped with her daughter, helped her with the cleaning and decorated. Most of all, spending time with her grandchildren was the highlight of the trip.
She returned to Trinidad several days ago to spend Christmas with her other children who are still in her care. She said the visit to Guyana was really to bond with her daughter and take in the time which they are so often unable to share. She noted that it is “a blast” in Trinidad, extravagant spending, and over-the-top partying with lively people. She however indicated that it matters not all the events of Christmas, the family is what matters.
Kenny Joseph and his wife Simone were in a hurry to get booked in for their flight to Antigua where they live. Simone who is Guyanese and Kenny who is Antiguan was returning to their homeland just in time for Christmas.
The couple had come for their son’s graduation and a short vacation time. They were however going to enjoy Christmas in Antigua where the couple owns and manages a restaurant. For them, Christmas is a routine like any other; shopping, decorating, great food and family time. The couple however hopes to spend Christmas in Guyana next year; it is an event they said they are looking forward to.
Fifteen -year-old Jamacie Stuffle of D’urban Street Lodge was excited to be going to Barbados with her family for Christmas. In fact it was her first time flying and she would be seeing her aunt after a long time. The teen said that Christmas in Guyana was very nice, especially spending it with her family.
She noted that she would help her family cook wonderful food, clean the house, and decorate the Christmas tree. She is expecting “a lot of fancy gifts”. But Christmas this year would be extra special, she said, because she would be spending it with her aunt and other family members in a different country. When asked, Jamacie said with a smile that Christmas is most wonderful because she spends it with her family.
Beryl Sundar, who came in from Canada, said she would be spending Christmas with her son and the rest of his family at Friendship on the East Bank of Demerara. For over 40 years, Sundar said she had been living in Canada and is now a housewife receiving her old age pension. But year after year, she said she is here in Guyana to spend that special time with her family, being the grand and great grandmother that she is expected to be. According to her, “the most beautiful thing about Christmas is spending time with my grandchildren”.
She said although she is old now, and is not able to do as much as she used to, she plays her part in the Christmas preparations by making “plenty pepper pot and baking cake.” The small family get together she said is almost like a party with good food, music, family stories and lots of laughter.
Christmas in Canada, she says, could never be like Christmas in Guyana. There is, of course, the heavy shopping and the festive atmosphere, but she fancies none of it because it is not with her family. Her shopping in Canada, she said, is to buy the lovely items for her grandchildren that may not be available in Guyana. Christmas could be anywhere, she indicated, once it’s with family.

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