-as seasonal Christmas shopping winds down

IT’S Christmas and Guyana’s capital city, Georgetown, was busy on Thursday as shoppers made their way through the crowded streets to pick up the items they needed for the season.

“Sale! Sale! Sale! Come and get your curtains here…I got the grapes; I got the apples fresh and nice here!” could be heard at almost every corner.

Many flocked the stalls along the roadside while some were seen skilfully manoeuvring through the countless stores on Regent, Camp and Robb Streets.

The lines at the ATMs (automatic teller machines) stretched beyond their boundaries, making it even harder to comfortably traverse the pavements.

Nevertheless, the hassle did not stop those who were determined to purchase their last-minute gifts, decorations and other goodies.

One shopper, Angela (only name given) successfully made her way through the large crowd to purchase a piece of material that had caught her eyes.

The woman in an invited comment told this publication that she is in the process of decorating her home for the Christmas holidays and decided to come into the city to pick up a few “fine things” to add to her final décor.

The woman shared that she plans to spend the holidays with family.

“I’ll cook some of my favourites, Spanish rice, baked chicken, and spend the day quiet with friends and family,” she said.

Meanwhile, Shoim of Shawn’s Minimart, a business located in Anna Regina, Region Two, noted that himself and a few other colleagues travelled from the Cinderella County to “catch some sales” in the capital city.

“We does do this every year; pack up some stuff and come down to town to sell. We have curtains as low as $500, we got decorations, we get mat, anything you want for Christmas we got it right[here],” he added.

The man noted that himself and partner will be working until Christmas Eve and will return home on Christmas morning.

He further stated that business is slowly picking up and he anticipates greater sales when the influx of last-minute shoppers returns to the city on Christmas Eve.

“Cassareep, get your cassareep here, all the way from Pomeroon!” one vendor shouted.

Household and gift items were not the only things shoppers were looking for. The various kinds of tantalizing delicacies such as apples, grapes, cookies and the ingredients for the pepperpot, black cake and homemade ginger beer and garlic pork were also on the list.

Many shoppers could be seen combing through the crowds, eyeing the vendors’ display of fruits, cookies, sweets and many other treats.

One passerby was heard saying, “I really got to get this cassareep for my pepperpot”, as she stood next to Abby, a cassareep vendor, who had erected a stall on Regent Street.

The woman disclosed that she sourced her cassareep all the way from the Pomeroon region. She insisted that that area has the best product to add the right “kick and flare” to the traditional pepperpot that is served on Christmas morning in almost every Guyanese household.

Abby noted that a Guyanese home would not be “Christmassy” without the smell of pepperpot or black cake emanating from the kitchen. As such, she plans to cook up a storm in her kitchen.

“I gon make my little bake chicken and macaroni on Christmas Day and I gon eat my pepperpot and spend some time with family,” she added.