The reasons I look forward to Christmas each year

Dec 24, 2020 Features / Columnists, News

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By Renay Sambach

Kaieteur News – On December 25, each year the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated by Christians and non-Christians around the world.
Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year. I get to spend quality time with my family; from the Christmas cleaning and decorating to feasting, I enjoy it all and everything else that the holiday has to offer.
Around this time of the year, we create memories that we will treasure forever. While some persons spend their Christmas differently, there are a few things that we all have in common during this festive time of the year. Some of my favourite activities that I look forward to each year include – spending time with my family and close friends, attending Christmas parties, masquerades, gift-giving, cleaning, shopping and feasting.

CHRISTMAS MUSIC
For me, the playing of Christmas music is one of the first indications that the season is approaching. While there are various different categories of Christmas music, I tend to gravitate more to the Reggae Christmas songs.
My favourite Reggae Christmas song is Jacob Miller and Ray I – We Wish You a Merry Christmas. During the Christmas season, Reggae Christmas songs are played on the radio excessively to get persons to feel the ‘Christmas spirit’.
Even while walking down the busy streets in Georgetown, you are destined to hear one of the push-carts playing these types of songs.

SHOPPING
Since I was a young child, I have been accustomed to my mother going out of her way to buy new appliances, and all the fancy Christmas items to beautify the home. Actually, every year it’s the same process, we visit the market and stores and pick out what will go nice with whatever theme and colour scheme we have decided on.
However, we do our grocery and gift shopping separately. As we all know, Christmas is a time for giving, and this is one aspect that I take very seriously. Around this time, people take gifts to relatives, friends and associates and my family has adopted such activity.

REDECORATING THE HOME
A Guyanese tradition every Christmas time is the cleaning and preparations for the “great redecorating of the home.”
My family and I would thoroughly clean the house and I love to see the finished product on Christmas morning. I must admit, that I do enjoy the time I spend cleaning and decorating with my family even though it’s tiring. We usually spend hours selecting the pattern in which the decorations will be placed, and of course, we have to climb to reach the parts of the house that are not that accessible and then we finish it off by putting up the Christmas lights.

MASQUERADE BAND
When I was much younger, I was terrified of the Masqueraders, especially the man that wears the really terrifying mask and the ‘bull cow’. From the moment, I would hear the beat of the masqueraders’ drum, I became terrified and hid.
Eventually, I grew to like and appreciate the masquerade band. The masqueraders are often seen around Mashramani and Christmas time in the streets around Georgetown and even in the various villages and communities.
If you don’t see the masqueraders in their bright colours, you are sure to hear them due to their synchronized beats. The masquerade group comprises of dancers, musicians, the cow, and various representations of women. The dancers usually interact with the crowd, especially children, who they usually captivate with their deft dance steps. Entertained spectators would in turn give them money.

FEASTING
Christmas is one of those times where families take the time to prepare different types of food, cakes and other goodies, not only for themselves but for friends, neighbours and associates.
While I’m not a professional as yet, I do put a lot of effort into every dish my mother challenges me to make and I enjoy taking part in the “devouring” of as many meals as I can.
My favourite dish is the pepperpot and homemade bread that we usually have on Christmas morning and for lunch, it’s always something extravagant.

CHRISTMAS CARDS
Over the years, my collection of Christmas cards has grown tremendously. Who doesn’t like to receive a card that makes you feel special and appreciated?
The reason I love Christmas cards so much is because they lift my spirit and I get to keep them and add them to my collection. I usually read the cards over and over again and smile until I memorize the words by heart.

REFLECTION
Usually after having breakfast on Christmas morning, some of my relatives will stay inside to
re-watch all five of the Home Alone movies, which is one of the most popular Christmas features, others will go outside and hang-out with friends on the street corner, while others head to church.
During the day when everyone returns home, as the Christmas music plays in the background, the adults are busy with the preparation of the meals while the children play with their new toys.
On Christmas Day, there is always some party or occasion to attend and that’s where we spend the rest of our day. The warm feeling the Christmas holidays give me, I will appreciate and look forward for to.
Even as we celebrate the holiday during this pandemic, be safe and take all safety precautions. Merry Christmas and have a prosperous new year!

 

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