Christmas at my grandparents’ house when I was a child was a wonderful memory. The Special Moments! I recall…
Our Tree
The flurry to decorate the two conifer trees that stood proudly on opposite sides of the gate began early December. My siblings and I enjoyed sorting thru boxes of beautiful decorations to hang on the tree. The not- so- fun chore was untangling strands of lights which were improperly stored the previous year.
All throughout December, Christmas carols were played and could be heard from any room in the house. We would happily sing along to the cheerful tempos of our favorite carols, such as The Little Drummer Boy and Joy to the World as we decorated the trees with other members of the family. We were carefree and undoubtedly happy to be spending the holidays at home and away from boarding school.
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Christmas Cake – The Special Moments!
In the weeks leading up to Christmas my aunt would bake delicious cakes filled with fruits that had been soaked in wine for many months. We did not have the now popular mechanical mixer and would have to “rub” – cream the butter and sugar, which formed the base of the cake, by hand.
We would rise early in the morning to begin the “rub”- mixing the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon in a large ceramic bowl for many hours until it flowed from the base of the spoon like yellow silk. By nightfall the cakes were placed in the oven and you would smell the sweet aroma of the cakes a mile away.
We stayed up late into the night until all the cakes were baked, dozing off and on as tiredness overcame us. However, sleep vanished when the “test-cake” – the sample was removed from the oven. We would each receive a warm slice of the “test-cake” as our reward for helping with the “rub.” Oh the joy of having a slice of warm Christmas cake and hot cocoa!
My aunt was a great cook and also a good story teller. We loved her stories about Christmases past that she would tell us while the cakes baked.
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve was simply the best time as my aunt would take us shopping after we had finished our chores. So, armed with a few dollars and a short list – very short list, we went into town. Of course the list toppers were always our grandparents. We would walk from store to store to find the best offer, and when we did, it was as if we won a major prize in a contest. My aunt would buy us little treats like candy canes or ice cream which we would happily enjoy as we strolled the street and listened to the Christmas carols blaring from the music boxes on the street corner. It was a fun time!
The Parade – The special moments
The show … the Jankanoo parade. The parade is a gathering of dancers in creative costumes and beautiful music, a traditional Christmas custom in my homeland. The bright colors of the costumes lit up the dark night. People danced to the beat of the drums and swayed to the heady rhythm of the fife – a type of flute. I would stand close to my aunt, happy but a little scared because some of the Jankanoo dancers’ costumes were a bit terrifying.
Christmas was a joyful time; there was fun, family, friends, food – lots of food and laughter. I recall…
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Absolute fun memories… the crisp air, the anticipation, excitement and gathering… wonderful time of year.
DM
Past Christmas memories were the best.