THE year 2021 was the second year into the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s finally December and as such, it’s the season of Christmas. If you take a walk down Regent Street in Georgetown or through the Arch in Rose Hall Town, you wouldn’t believe that there’s an ongoing pandemic in our midst. In a way, I’m delighted that our people are enjoying one of their favourite times of the year. Most of it should be credited to the ongoing vaccination programme. While we still have to adhere to COVID-19 restorations, there is still a hint of normalcy compared to last year.

A true Guyanese Christmas is spent with family and friends, as they cook lavishly and spend the day with each other throughout Christmas Day. The days leading up to Christmas Day are usually the busiest. The businesses in Guyana prepare to sell most of their stocks during this season, and the consumers are busy shopping for gifts for themselves and their loved ones. The city and towns were filled with Christmas parades and parties. It’s a season of giving and receiving in Guyana—as it is worldwide. However, due to the pandemic, most families will be forced to virtually join each other. Price inflation and a high cost of living will leave families to spend less and save more. The children will not experience a school’s end-of-term social gathering yet again. The pandemic has changed how we celebrate every single one of our holidays and events. While our routines and the things we’re allowed to do are different, I hope the Christmas spirit within us never truly dies or fades. I hope we still lend a helping hand or give to those in need during the holiday season. I hope you still cook your pepperpot and pickled-pork on Christmas Day. I hope our children wake up to presents under their tree and to the sound of reggae Christmas carols.

I think many of us will be reminiscing on the Christmases of the past as we restrict ourselves from gatherings and events this holiday. Somehow, I am hopeful that my children and their children will experience the type of Guyanese Christmas I’ve experienced in the past. Human beings are adaptive, and they find ways to survive and prosper, despite the circumstances. I know we will triumph over this pandemic. The world is facing a global health crisis, but there is still much to celebrate for many of us. You don’t have to fulfil a lifelong goal, graduate, or get a promotion to celebrate—simply surviving this year in one piece is enough of a reason to celebrate this Christmas. It’s been a tough year for all of us; it’s the least you can do for family and, most importantly, yourself. As you celebrate your Guyanese-Covid Christmas, I’m pleading that you are safe on the roadways, wear your masks and sanitise at all times. As we venture into the new year, I also hope you spend your time thinking of how you can personally contribute to defeating the Covid-19 virus in your household and in your community. If we all contribute to the decline in cases, we may be able to enjoy our traditional Guyanese Christmas by the end of 2022!