Experience A Caribbean Christmas

A Caribbean Christmas is very different from what many of us in the United States experience weather wise. Cold temperatures and precipitation, whether it be snow, ice, or rain, is often common for us during the Christmas season.
Caribbean Christmas Carols 1

The weather we have during the Christmas season is not common in the Caribbean any time. The rainy season there is normally between March and May and the hottest time is during the summer so the Christmas season, with somewhat cooler temperatures, is during the most time of the year weather wise. “Cooler” doesn’t mean cold because the temperature in the Caribbean is above 75 degrees year round.

Many of the seasonal activities, such as gift-giving, parties, family visits, that are enjoyed around the world are also Christmas traditions in the Caribbean. Even though families often live near each other, the gatherings at Christmas are very special and usually involve laborious preparations that are not performed any other time during the year. In many homes this preparation includes a complete cleaning of the house. For this all the furniture is removed and often rearranged. Another part of the preparation frequently includes putting up new and fancy window treatments. Only the best household goods, tablecloths, bed clothes, dinnerware, etc are used when entertaining during the holidays.

It is not unusual in the Caribbean to have people drop in for short visits during the season. During these visits, guests are entertained with foods and drinks, many of which are made only at Christmas time. These include fermented drinks such as sorrel and mauby, as well as rum punch.

The traditional Caribbean Christmas dinner menu includes baked poultry, roast beef, ham, boiled and steamed root vegetables, rice with peas, seasoned rice or rice pilaf. Dessert is often a special type of cake, called Black cake or fruitcake.

Caroling has also been a tradition, although its practiced has been declining in recent years. Small groups from churches or schools will walk through neighborhoods singing Christmas carols or, will drive from house to house to sing carols in neighborhoods primarily in rural areas where houses are not always found in close proximity.

Two Christmas traditions that are unique to the Caribbean are the practice of Jonkonoo and having a grand market. Jonkonoo consists of a group of masked revelers who take part in a parade dancing to the beats of drums, shaking tambourines and improvised instruments. The group also includes stilt walkers who appear as tall as some trees and single- story buildings. Jonkonoos perform various antics to amuse onlookers and to give candies and treats to children, especially younger children who may seem scared of any of the Jonkonoo participants.

Grand market is the big outdoor market that takes place the week before Christmas up to Christmas Eve. Outdoor markets, found in the central points of regional towns, are common in the Caribbean as a place to get fresh fruits, vegetables and produce that are grown by local farmers. But at Christmas time, they also become filled with assorted items that can be given as gifts and they bustle with activity even after nightfall. It is a special treat for children to accompany parents to grand market during the Christmas season.
Since Christmas falls during the high winter tourist season in the Caribbean, Christmas is also an opportunity for many school children to perform for tourists. Many hotels take advantage of the fact that most schools and churches will have singing and dramatic groups that perform the Christmas story and sing carols and Christmas songs. These groups are often invited to provide local entertainment at hotels and guesthouses during Christmas.