‘No place like home for Christmas’ …overseas-based Guyanese reflect on Christmas

Dec 25, 2025 News

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(Kaieteur News) – As sure as the numeral 6 comes after 5, one can count on a Guyanese to book a flight to return home from abroad for the Christmas holidays.

Factually, many would stock a suitcase or two and depart these local shores for an altogether different cultural expedition elsewhere for ‘the most wonderful time of the year’, but whether they hanker for the thrill of frolicking in the snow or nestling in the prospect of a more grandiose celebration in more advanced economies, one conviction rings true: there’s no place like home in Guyana for Christmas.

Granted, many Guyanese who sought the proverbial greener pastures beyond may well be awe-stricken by the modern infrastructural marvels arranged in a much more lavish context, or captivated by the architectural and geographical wonders that our budding little homeland holds as aspirations, yet at first hint of the season, families are homebound, because nothing gives the unique texture and thrill as celebrating Christmas in Guyana.

To give validation to the aforementioned, this publication engaged several overseas-based Guyanese on what defines Christmas here as opposed to in foreign land.

Toshauna Logan-Burke, USA

Toshauna Logan-Burke, who recently migrated to the United States of America, emphatically sounded that the holiday vibes in her present location are strikingly different from what she is used to in her motherland. She reflected on the ambiance here, abundant with lively music and carols bearing a distinct Caribbean flavour drifting through almost every neighbourhood, store and passing vehicle, while the bustle of holiday shop-goers scouting for curtains and furniture, etc confirm that it is that time of the year. In comparison, Logan-Burke related a much simpler, and in some regards, a more cautious indulgence of the festive energy there, as the winter season and its associated factors could prove threatening if one is not properly equipped for the outdoors.

Not to pour cold water on Christmas in a new country however, she did note that celebrating Christmas in a new setting simply creates new experiences, new memories and new magical moments. The 31-year-old, who also appreciated being able to wallow in a different season from what she is accustomed to here, did not conceal her delight in snow-playing, a desirable delicacy ranked high on the checklist of many Guyanese who would have only seen snow in Christmas movies, etc.

Given that Guyana is a tropical country positioned well near the equator, we do not experience the natural phenomenon of snow, and our prospect of a ‘white Christmas’ stands naturally impossible. Be that so, the mother of one holds firmly that the holidays take on a sweeter thrill at home than abroad.

The US-based Guyanese was born in Georgetown, but had most of her upbringing in Kwakwani. She also spent a considerable amount of time in South Ruimveldt, and Friendship on the East Bank of Demerara, before moving permanently to the United States of America.

“There is no way that it is better than Guyanese Christmas, because Guyanese Christmas is just completely different. You feel more warmth, more togetherness being with your family, very rich culturally I would say. That’s definitely hard to replace or to replicate. Being home for me feels more relaxed, more time to spend with family.”

Keeping her Guyanese Christmas culture and conventions very close to heart while oceans away, Logan-Burke ensures that the home atmosphere is permeated with the aroma of Christmas must-haves: pepperpot and traditional holiday treats such as black cake and sponge cake. These are but few of the seasonal pleasures for the family of three, which also features:

“Prioritizing family time where you would come together, play games and have fun, certainly sharing with others whether it’s through a church organization or just donating things to those that are less fortunate during this season.”

This would be her third Christmas overseas. She presently lives with her husband Patrick Burke and her five-year-old son Patrick Burke Jr. Thankfully for her, this Christmas will have more Guyanese orientation and input, as several other family members will be stopping by. This, she gleefully expressed, “should feel a little more close to home.”

Selwyn Semple, England

For Selwyn Semple, based in England with his four-member household, the holidays just do not strike with the profound and arresting appeal as when he was home in Guyana. The change of environment warranted methodical adaptation to the season there, but the memories of exhilarating engagements and customary pleasurable undertakings at this time, most of which have since been discontinued, are etched deeply in his mind, even as he submitted the fact that indeed, there’s no place like home in Guyana for Christmas. Commemorative preparation for him while home in Guyana was not merely concentrated on the particular day of Christmas itself, but encased Old Year’s Day into New Year’s Day, for which the time-honored activities of cleaning, decorating and cooking were executed without drudgery, but with much elation as a family unit.

“Of course I do miss Christmas in Guyana. I miss the part where I could actually help with the cleaning up or preparation of the Christmas season….I literally enjoyed the part where we used to be scrubbing the steps, not with those fancy brushes, but we had the wire brush, or the pot scrubber. I enjoyed ensuring that the plant pots were painted. Basically, I enjoyed the preparation part of the entire holiday…it’s not just not Christmas, because even though we would prepare in time for Christmas, it was more about the Old Year’s Day and New Year’s Day,” Dr. Semple shared.

It is not likely that persons would be washing their houses where he is, or scrubbing wooden steps, he explained. Prior to their migration, Semple, a former nurse attached to the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital, resided in the New Amsterdam, Berbice community of Angoy’s Avenue with his wife Athea Semple, a former school teacher. Together they are gracefully nurturing their two children.

Asked what particular feature of his local holiday practice is maintained since he migrated, he explained that spending is norm for him whether in his homeland or where he is currently. “Both Guyana and the UK requires you to spend.”

Semple, a medical doctor, is strong on the notion of family bonding, mirroring the previously highlighted speaker, and notwithstanding being away from most of his extending family members and being extracted from his cultural base, the season is upheld as a time for closeness, even though there is a cultural scaling back on what was a constant for him.

“I would zero in on the point of family. In Guyana, during this season, family definitely was a big thing. Family came first, and even though I’m in England, I continue to maintain that family comes first. Not just during this period, but the entire year. However, around this period, the emphasis is mostly placed on family,” Semple added.

It has been some time since he last savored the local Christmas thrills. Shopping with the family is a holiday staple even as he lives abroad, but the familiar mystique of home in Guyana, particularly New Amsterdam during the commercial peak period, with stalls and store shelves laden with tantalizing apples and juicy grapes, and the spontaneous bumping into known faces along the streets or between busy supermarket isles, as everyone does Christmas shopping while the air is arrested by the chime of holiday classics, is a sweetly enveloping sensation that cannot be rivaled elsewhere.

Absorbing all that he miss in celebrating the holiday in Guyana, Dr. Semple remains content all the same, with his present estate constituting his dear little family, and the warmth sourced from witnessing smiles on their faces is more than enough to counteract the harsh UK temperature. His wife commits to lining the dinner table with customary holiday dishes to preserve the local culture, so that the family, though miles removed from the larger bracket, can yet indulge to their satisfaction in spirit with those over here.

“It’s just seeing your family members happy. Everyone under one roof, everyone laughing, everyone putting in their little bits to have a wonderful time basically….ensuring that everyone is just happy,” the medical official expressed.

Dedrick Thompson, England

Even though he holds modified views of Christmas Day itself, Dedrick Thompson, like many persons home and abroad, enjoys the engrossing festive thrill, especially as it pertains to bringing individuals together. Being in the UK, with most of his relatives stabled in Guyana, there is only so much that one can do to substitute for the joys of many faces, many voices, many activities, and many moments.

“I do miss the whole vibe of the season. This particular season, it helps to reconnect and reunite people that you haven’t seen for a while….I think the thing I miss the most about the Christmas season is particularly the Christmas Eve Night stroll….I see it as an opportunity to just get out of the house and to go and chill and breeze, just enjoying the vibes and some music as well, of course with my friends.”

In his younger years, Thompson anticipated the essential black cake prepared by the very competent hands in his family. It being a jolly season, he “goes with the flow” while out there, but the observance is indulged with more enthusiasm when basking in the pleasantries of family and friends at home, even though he is not too particularly big on Christmas. He last experienced Guyanese Christmas back in 2022.

“A few things that I really miss from back home….it’s the getting together of family. It’s the one thing that I look forward to since I was small, just meeting up with your siblings and other cousins and maybe just spend the day, chat, cook, eat…we reminisce on the year. That is basically what I miss. Unfortunately that doesn’t happen for me over here because I don’t have my parents and my siblings, my family here. I have a few cousins yes, but the distance to travel is far…it’s challenging,’ he shared, basing the last point on a stiff work regimen.

He too, like his fellow overseas-based Guyanese, confirmed the pronounced difference in the culture of Christmas observance abroad and at home. Whereas the streets of Guyana would be congested with families and friends eager to sample the attractions and treats, and huddling together for photos against a general backdrop of bright, beautiful lights interspersed with vibrant rhythms, or persons walking up and down the streets in their choicest outfit, he stated that on Christmas Eve Night, there is hardly even a person on the road where he lives in the UK.

Abigail Robertson, Canada

Despite taking up residency in Canada for quite some time now, much of what she grew up with in Vryheid, West Canje, Berbice regarding the festive season is enshrined in her heart, and each year, Abigail Robertson slaps on her Guyanese labeling to many aspects of her holiday pursuits. Now relocated, she shared with this publication her observance of one holiday shaded by two cultures, both of which she appreciates.

“In Canada, Christmas is quiet, cold, and very cozy. Everything feels carefully planned—decorations go up early, streets glow with lights, and the season has this calm, almost storybook feel. Snow changes the pace of life; people stay indoors more, gather in small groups, and focus on warmth and comfort. I enjoy the Christmas markets, the skating rinks, the long evenings watching holiday movies, and the sense of calm that comes with slowing down for the season. It’s a reflective kind of Christmas,” she detailed.

“But Guyanese Christmas is the complete opposite—in the best way. It’s loud, warm, social, and full of movement. Music is always playing, people are always visiting, and the house never feels empty. There’s food everywhere, laughter everywhere, and a strong feeling of togetherness. Christmas doesn’t stay inside the house; it spills into the yard, the street, the neighbourhood.”

Married to her culture, she makes Pepperpot, and for her, black cake, whether home-baked or purchased, has to be there, along with sorrel or ginger beer. Guyanese Christmas mixes make cooking and cleaning all the more delightful, with an instant magic that tingles when it begins to snow outside.

“I also keep the habit of calling family early Christmas morning before eating anything. That connection grounds me and reminds me where my Christmas really began,” Robertson affirmed.

‘Nothing like my home on Christmas morning’

Guyanese music retains a litany of Caribbean-styled Christmas hits that truly spurs on the feeling of Christmas, from The Four Lords’ ‘Happy Holiday’, to Mark Holder’s ‘Happy Christmas’, and Adrian Dutchin’s ‘Very Merry Christmas’, but perhaps the one that resonates with much more accuracy and relevance is Aubrey ‘Slingshot’ Drepaul’s venerable holiday anthem, ‘Christmas in Guyana’, the starting line of which encapsulates the collective sentiment of Guyanese at home and beyond.

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• Christmas, home, overseas based Guyanese, Toshauna Logan-Burke

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