Christmas in Jamaica is a magical blend of joy, culture, and togetherness. It’s a whole vibe! While the world celebrates Christmas with similar themes of giving, merriment and even snow, Jamaicans add their own island twist to the season. Jamaicans at yaad, abroad and Jamaicans at heart are in for a treat: Here are 10 unique Jamaican Christmas traditions that make our celebrations unforgettable.
1. Jamaican Christmas Traditions: Grand Market Night
Grand Market is a lively street ‘festival’ where families flock to towns and cities to shop, enjoy street food, and dance the night away. Stalls are packed with toys, clothes, and trinkets, and the atmosphere is electric with music and laughter. Children are especially excited about Grand Market, as they get to enjoy the company of their friends and family on the streets, in stores and at parties. Plenty children and even adults save towards grand Market and also look towards getting funds to celebrate the night away. The beautiful lights and night life is a wonderful sight to behold.
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Many persons spend the whole night out, returning home in the dawn. Even older adults reminisce about their youthful days at Grand Market. It certainly is a Jamaican Christmas Tradition.
2. Sorrel and Fruit Cake: Jamaican Christmas Traditions
Christmas isn’t Christmas without a glass of sorrel and a slice of Jamaican fruitcake. The deep red sorrel drink is spiced with ginger, pimentos, and the optional rum and wine, while the fruitcake is rich with rum-soaked fruits.
It is also customary to gift fruit cakes to relatives and guests.
3. Christmas Morning Church Services: Jamaican Christmas Traditions
Churches across the island are packed on Christmas morning for special services filled with Christmas hymns, sermons, and community spirit. People also tend to wear their top ‘Sunday Best’ and sometimes even buy new outfits for “Christmas Service.”
Expect to hear the Bible story of Baby Jesus and the love and joy that He has brought into the world.
4. Jamaican Christmas Traditions: House Cleaning and Painting
Many Jamaicans take the festive season as an opportunity to deep clean and repaint their homes, symbolizing a fresh start for the new year. Stores and hardware companies take advantage of this tradition too, offering discounted prices on paints, curtains and even tiles! Many Jamaicans religiously change their bed linens, curtains, mats, carpets and even table coverings during this time.
Expect to see people de-bushing the streets, overgrown trees and shrubs in their yards, as well as purchasing or even crediting new furniture and appliances!
5. Christmas Barrels: Jamaican Christmas Traditions
Receiving barrels from relatives abroad is a cherished tradition. These are often filled with clothes, food items, and treats, bringing joy to families. There are also neighbours who anticipate getting something from the barrel next door -even an Irish Spring bar soap for the adults and candies for the children.
6. Family Gatherings: Jamaican Christmas Traditions
Extended families come together for Christmas dinners filled with laughter, games, and storytelling. The menu usually includes curried goat, ham, fried chicken, fish and gungo peas rice. There is the typical playing of music, sharing of liquor for those who consume alcohol, ‘softer’ drinks like Malta and Sorrel Beer and also domino and cards.
Children are usually around the house and yard, playing with cousins they have never met or haven’t seen in a long time. The atmosphere is usually jubilant, joyous and fun-loving.
7. Christmas Carols with a Jamaican Twist: Jamaican Christmas Traditions
Classic carols are given a reggae or dancehall beat, adding a unique flavor to the season’s music. The one in a million Mariah Carey’s Christmas album is also on repeat in many households. While in others, the tradition versions rings through the air.
The atmosphere is usually filled with carols on radios and on tv programs too – and of course, those members of the household who have the ‘Christmas Spirit’ will be belching carols too.
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8. Christmas Tree Lighting: Jamaican Christmas Traditions
Public Christmas tree lighting ceremonies in town squares and parks are celebrated with cultural performances, music, and fireworks. Children are usually treated with gift of toys, candies and also food. Local as well as international volunteers make it a point of duty to give back in these spaces. Artists, entertainers, politicians and even athletes participate in these occasions to give back to the communities they have long been a part of or serve.
Christmas Tree Lightning is typically a beautiful scene, done in the night when the lights can shine through in all their beauty.
9. Firecrackers/ “Clappas”: Jamaican Christmas Traditions
The pop and crackle of firecrackers add to the festive vibe, especially during Grand Market night. This is usually a thrilling moment for teenagers and the young adults who like the sounds and excitement that comes with lighting and ‘bursting clappas’.
Although firecrackers have been banned, they still continue to form an exciting and expected feature of the Jamaican Christmas traditions for many.
10. Christmas Cake/Dinner Sharing: Jamaican Christmas Traditions
It’s common for neighbors and friends to exchange slices of Christmas cake and cover dishes as well as plates of food as a token of love and goodwill. This is particular heartwarming when shared with the homeless, those who live alone or even elderly members of the community.
Many people, try to impress at this time of the year with the quality and even the quantity of food they can whip up. It is also expected that a lot of food is consumed during this time.
Which of these 10 Christmas traditions do you still partake in? As a matter of fact, which are you most looking forward to this Christmas? Comment below and also share the article!
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