As the end of the year draws near, so does the feeling of laughter and cheer. The Christmas breeze finds its way into the hearts of many taking away the warm weather throughout the year.
Christmas in Jamaica is the best time of year — family, friends, food, and fellowship are important for this special time of year. Even though we don’t have snow to share, allow me to share our joy with you this year.
Grab your boarding pass, and let’s head to the Caribbean for Christmas.
- Traditional Christmas Food
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Christmas in Jamaica wouldn’t be the same without the delicious delicacies, drinks, and sweets. All passed down through family tradition, they find their way into every Jamaican home. Black rum cake, rice and peas, oxtail, fried or streamed fish, and the iconic sorrel.
Black Rum Cake:
Every season, Black rum cake is served for Christmas. It includes the following ingredients: lime zest, unsalted butter, eggs, baking powder, and the most important one of all, rum. All ingredients are mixed into a beautiful batter and baked in the oven for two hours.
Sorrel:
The drink every Caribbean house has during the holiday season is Sorrel. The somewhat gingery drink is paired with every Christmas meal.
To make Sorrel, you need three cups of dried Sorrel, fresh ginger, allspice, and sugar. The process of preparing Sorrel might be time-consuming, but it’s well worth the wait.
In a Dutch pot, boil your Sorrel, ginger, and allspice with water until the Sorrel begins to swell. After removing the Sorrel from the pot, strain the excess juice into the pot and discard after. Add three tablespoons of Red Label wine to the juice, sweeten to taste, chill in the refrigerator, and it’s ready to enjoy!
- The Last day of school
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In Jamaica, the last day of school always ends with a Christmas concert. Children enjoy concerts ranging from kindergarten to primary students. Parents and community members attend to watch their children perform folk dances, drama acts, poems, or sing traditional Christmas songs. The teachers are also proud to show what their kids can do. It’s a time of joy, happiness, and excitement!
- Decorations
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It wouldn’t be Christmas without our famous decorations. Painting the house, putting up the Christmas tree, and changing the interior of our home is how we end the year in style.
Decorating the tree with pepper lights (Christmas lights) and ornaments was my favourite tradition. My grandfather would paint our house in the prettiest colours — pastel pink and white — and it was always a delight to watch my grandmother rearrange the house with different bed sheets, fancy plates, and curtains.
Home was the best place to be during the holidays as we would often expect visitors from abroad to join us and share gifts.
- Christmas Eve Traditions
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Grand Market
The Grand Market is the biggest event of the Christmas season. Held every year on Christmas Eve, families flock to Downtown Kingston, trying to find the best deals for clothes, shoes, or other necessities.
Parents and children dress in their best clothes, ready to explore the downtown core for the night. Vendors come to sell goods, and food stalls line up to prepare the most delicious food, my favourite being Jerk Chicken.
Tourists will often stop by to experience the cultural nightlife — buying traditional clothes, shoes, and souvenirs to take home after their trip. The night continues with traditional dances and music.
Midnight Mass
Midnight Mass is a traditional practice on Christmas Eve in most Jamaican homes. Dressing in your Sunday best with frills, hats, and heels galore.
The old and the young make their way to church, all ready to take in the word. The birth of Christ is always remembered every Christmas. Going to church is a time to partake in fellowship and have praise and worship with the Lord.
- Christmas Morning
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Christmas Day is the most magical of all — opening presents, greeting family, and playing with friends are some of the memories I’ll cherish the most.
Christmas breakfast was spent around the table praying, eating, and laughing. My favourite memory was when all my friends in the neighbourhood gathered at the community square, bragging about our gifts. The community DJ would play Christmas tunes for the holiday season to put everyone into the festive mood. My favourite song is Let the Christmas Catch You in a Good Mood by The Job Gibbs Allstars.
With the Christmas season approaching, take the time to reflect and be grateful for your friends, family, and the little things in life. From this Jamaican girl to you, Let the Christmas catch you in a good mood, let the Christmas catch you feeling fine.