CHRISTMAS is often termed a “holy day” or a “festival” or festive day. The holy day is the religious facet of Christmas, and the ‘festive’ is its secular facet. In older societies such as Europe, from the Middle Ages, there has always been a rivalry between the secular and religious, and until the 19th century, the religious predominated.

In the Victorian era, with Charles Dickens and other such writers, the festive and secular aspects of Christmas were brought to the fore, though the ethical aspects of Christianity were equally promoted, especially charity and assisting the poorer members of society.
In 17th and 18th-century Guyana, the planter class, as a whole, had no desire to promote Christianity among their slaves, and they themselves were not a religious group. Christmas was the only holiday accorded to the slaves. For the only time of the year, slaves were permitted to visit their friends and relatives on other plantations, use as much sugar and rum as they wished, cook their African dishes, sing, dance, and celebrate.

However, in the early 19th century, there were a few churches, notably St George’s Cathedral and St Andrew’s Kirk, and only Europeans attended them. The Congregational Church catered to slaves and non-whites, but they had a continuous struggle to survive and were only able to be properly established after Emancipation.

After Emancipation, the freedmen and women continued to celebrate Christmas as they did under slavery, but their celebrations were spontaneous and bigger. It was at this time the Masquerade Bands emerged, African drumming was widely revived with Cumfa dances, and African foods such as fufu, metemgee, conkie, sugar cakes, and the Guyanese fruit cake (black cake) began to emerge. Drinks such as pine drink, sorrel, mauby, and ginger beer also made their appearance. The churches became more active, and African congregations grew with teachings of the Nativity, hymns, and Christmas carols. The church services and activities were respected, but there was far more involvement with the secular.

With Emancipation came indentured immigration from various parts of the world, and each of these immigrant groups enriched Christmas with their contributions. The Portuguese immensely strengthened Catholicism with colourful Mediterranean customs, making Christian teachings of the Nativity and the life and teachings of Lord Jesus more attractive. They made lasting contributions to Christmas cuisine with honey cake, garlic pork, and the use of various types of cheese. The Indians popularised rice and rice dishes, making the Christmas cook-up, dal puri, chicken curry, and roti a necessary part of the Christmas fare. The Chinese contributed to Christmas food with chowmein, fried rice, and roast pork.

All these various groups that came in the 19th century were quickly integrated into the Guyanese Christmas and brought verve and commitment to it. Though a large proportion were not Christians, they came to appreciate the Nativity and the teachings of the Lord Jesus, which, in many cases, did not differ from their traditions. Accordingly, in Guyanese society, there is no religious conflict or tension, and this is typified by all Guyanese, irrespective of their religious or racial background, being enthusiastic Christmas celebrants.

Christmas decorations with the Christmas colours of red, blue, green, and gold are everywhere in shops, in the streets, and in homes, with fairy lights and Christmas trees being the most prominent. The shops are full of new stock and buyers, and the commercial community is pleased with the throbbing revival of the secular aspects of Christmas. All families enjoy the unique festivity of the Guyanese Christmas.
In the Guyanese Christmas, the religious and secular have been synthesised, and the greeting “Happy Christmas, and may its Peace and Goodwill permeate our lives” comes from the heart.