There is nothing like being ingulfed in the Christmas spirit – the excitement of cleaning, decorating, and shopping in anticipation of waking up on Christmas morning to a vibrantly decorated home and a warm bowl of Pepperpot.

In Guyana, as many of you may know, it is customary for us to begin holiday preparations at least a month ahead of Christmas day. By mid-November, the local wash bays are usually packed with loads of carpets, rugs and even chair sets and couches that have to be washed and steam-cleaned for the season.

However, for me, growing up, Christmas in my home was not always that much of a big deal. Although my neighbours were always flamboyant around the holiday season, and would decorate their verandas and balconies with captivating wreaths and lights, my mother opted to keep things quite muted at our home.

While we did take part in a few festivities such as baking black cake and of course making Pepperpot and baking bread, it somehow felt a little dull without all the extravagance. Fortunately, our Christmas traditions started to change when I got a little older. My mother had a change of heart one year and decided that she was going to go all out, and of course, I was fully on board with her.

This change of perspective and traditions brought on a whole new meaning of Christmas for me. I fell deeply in love with the holiday and everything about it. So, as we all look forward to Christmas day tomorrow, I thought I would share with you, our dear readers, some of my favourite Christmas traditions.

MASQUERADE
An indication that Christmas is drawing near are the sounds of drums permeating across my home village, Victoria. This for me meant Christmas was just around the corner. My fondest and most treasured memory of the holiday season takes me back to the energetic mix of beats and whistling flutes made by masqueraders.

Fascinated by the melodies of the drums and flutes, I always found myself gazing attentively as the man on stilts, the flouncers, the mad-bull and of course my favourite character, ‘bam bam sally’ made their way through my small alley, spreading the Christmas cheer.

FOOD
And, as all of you would know, a Guyanese holiday season would be truly incomplete without our traditional foods. There is just something about the sharpness of that ginger beer, the spicy flavours of the scrumptious Pepperpot, and the vibrant ‘kick’ of rum embedded in the black cake, that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

CLEANING AND DECORATIONS
Truth be told, I love Christmas decoration, and over the years I have become the designated Christmas tree decorator in my household, a job that I take quite seriously. This year, my theme was flowers, so, instead of going for the traditional Christmas ornaments, my mother and I found these beautiful gold and red flowers and decided to make our tree into something of an erect garden, topped with star, and adorned with very large ‘fairy’ lights.

Although decorating is fun, cleaning for the holiday can be a hassle, and if I am being honest, we don’t complete our Christmas chores in time for Christmas Day. And, just a reminder, its okay if you don’t have it all set for the season; just make the best of what you have and spend the day with the people you love most.

GIVING BACK
Also, be reminded that even though Christmas is a time of gift-giving, many of us tend to lose ourselves in commercialized shopping, where everyone seems to be buying things without activating the logic component of their brains. This can often make Christmas a draining time of year, both emotionally and financially. But really, it’s supposed to be a time to pause and to give to others thoughtfully.

It has been a tough year for so many of us and while some may not be able to give back financially, be sure to share a smile or even a simple greeting. It would also help to share a meal to someone in your neighbourhood who may be less fortunate.

I have come to realise that Christmas may not be a happy time of year for everyone, and for many different reasons. But, as we head into the day of festivities, please keep in mind that Christmas is a season of hope, and that there is always light at the end of every tunnel.

On behalf of myself and team Buzz, we wish you all a very, Merry Christmas!