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