Trini Christmas traditions worth it or not?

With a lack of headphones to whisk my mind away to a more glorious place I was forced to listen to a radio program the other day while traveling in a taxi. The radio announcer and her panel of so-called learned men were discussing and highlighting the different ways in which people celebrate Christmas around the world.

Now even though I was initially forced to listen to it, it began to garner interest in me on hearing the different ways in which people celebrate that famous day. The announcer also went into a bit of history concerning some of the rituals we carry out in this Christmas season, many of which were not as we know them today as she explained.

Well the part about Christmas being a pagan festival or celebration didn't really open my eyes or tickle my interest because it was stuff that I had definitely heard before, but long after I left that taxi I began thinking about the practises that we indulge in at Christmas time. Even though I didn't believe that they were all pagan, I wondered whether or not they were truly worth it or just a bunch of tradition.

In the home that I grew up in, Christmas was a big thing. Items had to be bought, stuff had to be cleaned the whole nine yards and then some. House work was a must! It was either you pitched in or suffer a few grumpy house mates or a bag of quarrelling that didn't seem to end. A few paint spots on hands and feet where the only identification that gave you exit out of the lazy persons club. My aunt always said, ‘If one thing that Christmas is good for, is getting people to clean their houses and that is definitely evident by the amount of garbage that is thrown by the dumpster every Christmas season.

Well I always wonder, ‘Where in peoples houses do all that rubbish fit all through the year?’ Which brings me to another point, why is it only at Christmas time that your refrigerator stops making ice and your stove stops being able to cook food and your washing machine says no more? The three burners on the stove that worked was not a problem all year through but some how at Christmas time it's just not enough. The mattress that you slept on for the entire year has become almost impossible to sleep on without causing back pain.

You heated your food over the stove in a strainer all year but now a microwave is a must have. One would say that these expenditures are made because the money is there, bonuses were paid out and so people have more money. On investigation though, one would realize that most of these expenditures are done on hire purchase and therefore no money is really paid for the items. This is also evident a few months down the road when the same furniture trucks that were eagerly seeking around the neighbourhood to find your address is now eagerly seeking you out to repossess their items.

To be fair to all, there are many shoppers for Christmas who buy only items that they truly need, I like to call them progressive buyers. Last year they bought the new shower head for the bathroom and this year they are tiling the bathroom; progressive buyers. But there are some Trinis that are in the rush every year to buy the same things all the time. Last year they bought ornaments to put in the space-saver, this year they're buying ornaments again. Last year they bought artificial flowers to decorate the living room, this year they're doing the same. These buyers buy just to be apart of the action, they never plan out what they need or what they should truly go after; they buy on impulse every year, (check Charlotte St. for ref.).

Only in Trinidad would someone buy paint because it was cheap and everyone was rushing and then wonder what and where they can paint with it. How many of you remember the tradition that I like to call the curtain wars. What happens is that on the night of Christmas Eve, each neighbour is peeping out their window to see the curtains that their neighbour is putting up before they put their own up. So on Christmas Eve night, most peoples windows are bare or some one of their bed sheets are draped over it until a certain hour generally after 12o'clock when one by one each neighbour shows off their curtain prowess. Never could truly understand that one but it's all in the name of tradition.

Now there are many traditions in Trini culture that have dwindled in significance for more than one reason. Going house to house singing and basically begging for food and drinks or what we call paranging has been almost cut out completely. Persons that carry-on this tradition would only go to the homes of friends and family, which is much different to its origins of ‘any house you could find’.

The famous piece of pork that so many has sang about over the years or more commonly known has ham. Ham is still in most trini homes a must have, it has come a long way though from its days of being baked in a pitch oil tin in the back yard which was a major part of the tradition in most peoples view.

I can go on and on about traditions because in Trinidad and Tobago there are many but all in all whether or not these traditions are worth it or not, can never truly be determined they all in there own way make up the Christmas experience in T&T and therefore are invaluable.

Written by :

Adesola Stewart

 

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