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The hustle and bustle the day before Christmas can be joyous or stressful, depending on how it is looked at. Many are engaged in last minute shopping, decorating, and getting all that is needed to live up to the traditional Guyanese Christmas. This year’s Christmas Guyanese will have to navigate the challenges of going about their pre-Christmas activities during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) which has altered our lives in immeasurable ways. But in true Guyanese spirit many will go about their business to keep the traditional festivities alive.
People are out and about, many wearing a mask. Commendably, some businesses are mandating the wearing of masks and sanitising the hands of those entering their premises. Commercial Georgetown and other commercial centres around the country are teeming with activities. Even as people go about Christmas shopping some are finding the time to get in the personal grooming by visiting the hair and nail salons. For the most part people seem to be in the festive mood.
Though it has been raining a lot, streets are flooding, and the sidewalks have become impassable, Guyanese are walking in the streets, with or without rain gear going about their business. Vendors are still actively pursuing sales, not only driven by the season but knowledge that this is the best time of the year for them and their livelihood depends on this. Buyers and sellers are haggling, each trying to make the best deal. The joy of this makes shopping fun and worthwhile, particularly at this time.
The presence and fear of COVID-19 is ever present. This has not only reduced socialising but families have grown tighter, spending more time together mindful of the precautionary measures. In our extended family culture such precautions are even more important given our elderly relatives living with us and who are amongst the most vulnerable contracting and dying from this deadly virus.
At home the last-minute cleaning, putting up of new curtains, cooking and baking are taking place. The tradition of putting away the house at night, after breaking it up weeks ago, will be practiced by many. The customary ginger beer and sorrel drinks are already prepared. So too for the garlic pork and pepper pot. There is no Guyanese home without the whiff of garlic pork, pepper pot, homemade bread to soak in that pepper pot, and the baking of cake. The aromas from these various dishes are filtering through the air, accompanied by the customary music that not only ensures the festivity of the season but provides the needed energy to complete the chores. The traditional masquerade bands are out in the streets though not as much as in the days of yore. Hopefully, this is not a dying culture.
Christmas is a period of benevolence and late shopping. But even amidst the festivities and preparations some are dealing with austerity made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, laid off, the absence of the customary year end salary incentive, and the loss of a breadwinner. Merriment aside, Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ, a man who was born in a manger after his father and mother, Joseph and Mary, were turned away by various innkeepers. With or without the festivities Christmas brings the joy of salvation for those who seek and follow the teachings of Christ. In its truest sense this is what Christmas is meant to be.
