Christmas in the Caribbean
The Christmas spirit is all around us. It is a time to give thanks for all the blessings that is given to us each and every day. It is a time of family gathering, singing, loving and spreading the joy both near and far.
For individuals from the Caribbean, it is a time of reaching back to make sure all the love ones feel the Christmas spirit. Many will travel “home” to get the Caribbean Christmas spirit and for those not traveling, it is time to reflect on Christmas in the Caribbean. While reflecting, Christmas in the Caribbean can best be summarized through the following poems:
IT’S CHRISTMAS DAY
By Roland L. Gayle, Jamaica
I just woke up and it’s Christmas Day
Christ is born, Hip, Hip Hooray!
Today I’ll eat and eat a lot,
But first I’ll see what gifts I got!
Brand new shoes from Grandma P
A ball and a truck, all for me!
And wait there’s even something more
The cricket bat I’ve been asking for!
Now for breakfast with hot, hot tea,
Plantain, pear, saltfish, and ackee
We have yummy bread and callaloo
And golden fried breadfruit too!
Now breakfast is done I get to play
With all my friends on Christmas Day
We’ll share our toys and laugh and run
Celebrating the birth of God’s own Son!
It’s evening time and relatives dear
Have come from far and even near
To share and greet and offer love,
Hosannah! To our God above!
A sip of sorrel, and it’s time to nyam!
Boy oh boy it’s Grace picnic ham!
Potato salad, gungo rice and peas,
Yay it’s Christmas…some more cake please?
Christmas in my Caribbean Isle
By Jose Bermudez
It`s Christmas in my Caribbean isle
Not white but blue as my Caribbean sky
Splenderous as my Caribbean sea
Enchanting and warm as “we”
Church bells ring and children sing
Glory to the new born king
Children wait for Santa´s date
To receive their favorite gift
We drink rum and ponche crema
Black cake, pastel and sorrel
And something salt to put in “meh” mouth
Parranderos sing “paran”
This is Christmas in my Caribbean land
Caribbean Christmas Poem
Author unknown
Winters sting is cold out there
So Christmas will not find me here
Christmas will be Carib style
Soca music, Del Congos drum,
Santas blackened by the sun
drinking water with their rum
Winter will be hot this year
spicy fish balls, pepperpot,
curry from the roti hut,
hot sauce dished up with an egg,
liver cutters, Baxters bread
jug jug, cou-cou, eddoes, yams
okras cooked and turkey stuffed
Hard sauce on a christmas pud
aged with spice and flamed with rum
Winter brings me spicy fare
cooling off with cold Banks beer
No winter will not find me here,
Leaving now with my swimwear
To the pulsing of the drum
and Santas laughing with the Sun
Talking Turkeys Christmas Poem
By Benjamin Zephaniah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnhsule9vjao
Mighty Sparrow –Caribbean Style Christmas Medley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yumu5dud8re
Christmas – Reggae Medley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v4l05ghyhtha