EMBRACING the lyrics of ‘Slingshot’ DrePaul’s famous ‘Christmas in Guyana’ song, “There’s

nothing like me home on Christmas morning”, many in the Guyanese diaspora returned home to spend Christmas in their homeland.
“It’s the season of the year, and it’s the time of the year when a lot of Guyanese in the diaspora choose to come back home to celebrate Christmas,” Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) Director Indranauth Haralsingh said.

At the CJIA, many persons who were travelling from New York on the Dynamic Airways flight were excited to be back in Guyana.
One passenger related that she is back in Guyana to spend Christmas with her family after 19 years.
“It’s cold over there. We might have our lil rains, but its better here,” she said, noting that she really likes the revelling and pepperpot here

At the Eugene F. Correia Airport, many persons were returning home from Caribbean countries, including Barbados and Tortola,British Virgin Islands, to stay for the holidays.
One of the Guyanese from Barbados, who declined to give his name, said “I am Guyanese. Guyana is my home and I am home for Christmas.”
While scampering through airport immigration, one woman accompanied by her two toddlers, who were also returning from Barbados for the holidays, said she spends Christmas in Guyana every year.

She related that Christmas is her favourite time of the year and looks forward to the cuisine and atmosphere found here only.
Her family was treated with slices of Guyana’s black cake as soon as they arrived, compliments of the GTA.
It was a wonderful sight to see many persons returning home to spend Christmas in Guyana against the usual trend of many Guyanese departing the country to spend their Christmas overseas.

According to Haralsingh, some 1100 visitors come here almost every day during this holiday season; and he is anticipating an increase in the number of tourists compared to last year.
Of this total, the visitors include foreigners, such as Cubans coming to shop here to take back to their country. The others were largely members of the diaspora retuning home for the holidays.
“After all, there is no place to celebrate Christmas than at home,” the GTA Director said.