Christmas in the Caribbean

Forget the snow and cold weather this Christmas—have your Christmas in the Caribbean! Warm weather, sandy beaches and the soothing sounds of steel drum music floating on the breeze are just a boat or plane ride away to the laid back island life of the Caribbean. It’s too bad we can’t all afford to hop on a plane and enjoy a Christmas in the Caribbean.
But just because you can’t take that long trip across the ocean to warmer weather doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a Caribbean Christmas. Have your own Caribbean Christmas party by hiring a steel drum band, using this guide to an authentic Caribbean Christmas and by turning up the furnace.

Christmas in Trinidad & Tobago

Ever since the first Christmas was held by Spanish missionaries in 1569, the days and weeks leading up to Christmas day have been a joyous celebration filled with family feasts, steel drum Christmas music and Spanish carols called Parang. The carolers known as Paranderos sing and play instruments as they trek through the neighborhoods and are awarded for their performances with Christmas foods and drinks from the hosts.

Christmas in Jamaica

The Christmas season in Jamaica is from the middle of December to New Year’s Eve day and is filled with Christmas parties, festivals and plenty of good food and drinks. The sweet sounds of Jamaican music fills the air as dancers parade through the streets dressed in traditional Jonkanoo costumes. Jamaicans feast on oxtail, curry goat and gungo peas as well as drink sorrel—a sweet mixture of sorrel, cinnamon, cloves, sugar, ginger and rum.

Christmas in Guyana

To the Guyanese, Christmas is a special time of year when Guyana residents paint the outsides of their home, change the curtains and create new furniture coverings to celebrate the holidays. Delicious smells from the many cooking meat dishes like ham, traditional pepperpot and garlic pork fill the air. Calypso bands play holiday music and members of the holiday masquerade fill the streets with lively performances.

Christmas in Barbados

The island of Barbados is especially alive as Tuk bands roam the streets and play steel drum Christmas music. Delicious treats like traditional sorrel, ginger fudge and rum-spiked marmalade are to be found at the large Christmas bazaar south of the island and on Christmas morning in Queens Park, people dress in their finest Christmas clothes and walk the park during the “forenoon”.

Share your experience of Christmas in your country, tell us what it’s like.