Celebrating Christmas ‘Guyanese Style’
The Scenery at Christmas Village  2022 ( Photo by Delano Williams )
The Scenery at Christmas Village  2022 ( Photo by Delano Williams )

YOU know it is Christmas in Guyana when Christmas music is being played on the radio, masqueraders are in the streets, and Guyanese are shopping, trying to get the best deals from vendors almost everywhere.

The Pepperpot Magazine took to the streets to get first-hand, from vendors, their thoughts, feelings and impressions of what Christmas means to them and their trade.
Vendors at this year’s Christmas Village shared expressively that the Guyanese community can be the beneficiaries of great deals, particularly on items made locally by great Guyanese entrepreneurs both in Georgetown and out of town.

Persons visiting the Guyana School of Agriculture  booth Photo by Delano Williams

We spoke with stall holders of the Guyana School of Agriculture who showcased local products such as fruits for those housewives and others who are planning to make their tasty fruitcakes for their friends and family who will drop by for the Christmas holidays.

Aunty Avery displays her products ( Delano Williams photo)

“Now what we have is what we call our Christmas baskets. We have a variety of Christmas baskets, where you can get some of the items at a reduced cost. So we have baskets with just condiments inside like your peppers and your greens, seasonings and so on, baskets of assorted meats as well and, finally, baskets of black cakes,” Aliyah George excitedly told the Pepperpot Magazine.

The Guyana School of Agriculture has made provision for persons who have begun the festive celebrations with the inclusion of a festive basket.
“The festive basket has a black cake. It has an all-purpose sauce, a hot sauce, carambola, health mix and a chicken ham,” George explained during her interview.
The excitement leading up to Christmas day is mounting, with bargains and deals from the Guyana School of Agriculture.

The Pepperpot Magazine also spoke with Avery, who hails all the way from Region Seven (Cuyuni / Mazaruni), who is the manufacturer of numerous handcraft such as hats, bags (with the national colours). Avery also hails from a family with skills in handcraft has been involved in a variety of exhibitions for several years now. For Avery, she wants to make an indent into the lives of her future generations and to leave a legacy for them.

More Scenery ( Photo by  Delano Williams )

She added that she simply loves her craft and does what she does not for a living, but just for joy while doing her craft.
“Well, where knitting is concerned, my mother use to knit and I sat and I watched her and I began with pointer and thread at a tender age because I love it,” Avery told us at the Pepperpot Magazine.

She related that she got into the business to keep herself out of trouble and to more or less become entrenched in her work.
As she puts it, she is not very much a conversational person and hardly has friends.
Primarily, Avery and her husband are involved in the mining industry but she focuses on knitting as a hobby.

Meanwhile, Pepperpot Magazine met yet a third vendor, Mark Phillips, who stated that the Christmas Village was a family-oriented venture.
He spoke too that, from his perspective, it is a great opportunity to bring out the family to enjoy the scenery and the ambience that the environment has to offer the Guyanese tourism sector.

According to him, there is a need for more family-oriented events, such as the Christmas Village. He added, too, that vending in the Christmas Village is bringing his business of online items great attention. Phillips, through his business, provides many household items, including bedsheets and Christmas décor.

The Bishops’ High School displays its booth (Delano Williams photo)

The entrepreneur has plans to be out next year, should there be another Christmas village, and he will be more prepared in a bigger way.
According to him, he might not be a Christmas person, but whoever did the décor, and set up the lights did an excellent job.

Guyana’s President, in his remarks at the launch of Christmas Village 2022, spoke about the need to encourage Guyanese families to love each other.
According to him, this was a brilliant move which, again, demonstrates that he is committed to leaving a lasting legacy of togetherness and love; that he wants what is best for every Guyanese and Guyana as a whole.

The Christmas Village will continue until December 31, 2022.

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