Celebrating Yuletide Guyanese style, with pepper pot, black cake, Soca carols

The infectious Christmas lyrics recorded by legendary Guyanese calypsonian, John Slingshot Drepaul, always bring nostalgic feelings to nationals, who blare the jingle as they prepare for the festive season.

Whether cooking, hanging curtains, baking black cake, or wrapping presents, Slingshot’s music always evokes the true Christmas spirit Guyanese love, enjoy, and cherish so much, especially when they spend it at home.

There’s nothing like “meh” home on Christmas morning, liming with “meh” friends and family, greeting everyone around, eating, dancing getting down, spending Christmas in Guyana.

The stimulating song — “Christmas in Guyana” goes on to say — “watching all the little children running up and down, playing excitedly with their toys, making sure “meh” get “meh” share of curry goat and rum, and playing dominos with the boys.

“There’s nothing like home for Christmas in Guyana, everyone there playing Soca and dancing, masquerade band coming around, mother sally prancing down… Merry Christmas Ho!ho!ho!”

Founder of Green Acres School, Marilyn Butters-Green and staff, hosted a Christmas parade on the streets of Georgetown, Guyana. Here are the pretty little elves. Photo by Tangerine Clarke

Many from diasporas around the world who do not make it to the homeland for a Merry Christmas, reminisced about ‘breaking up the house” (rearranging furniture) Christmas eve night, getting up next day to “put away,” (decorate), the fresh smell of paint, hanging of fairy lights, laying down linoleum, and varnishing the floor.

Facebook friend, Paula Stanton, said her American family do not understand the concept of ‘breaking up the house and the wonderful surprise of seeing it all come together when you wake up Christmas morning.”

Donna Cato added, “My daughter, too, does not understand, but when I am finished, she says mom the house feels lighter and nicer.”

Freshly baked Guyanese Black Cake, a favorite treat at Christmastime.Photo by Tangerine Clarke

“Believing Santa was real and waking up on Christmas morning to see the presents he left under the Christmas tree,” said Gillian Best Hamiliton, is a delight she cherishes.

“It is a joy to start the season by window shopping,” said Ragamuffin Pollard.
“Window shopping with the entire family and cousins and more cousins after eating Brown Betty ice cream was joyful,” he added.

“We liked checking out everybody else’s Christmas curtains. People smiling and courteously wishing merry Christmas left and right, the sounds of caroling around Kitty, Georgetown, ending up at the vicar’s feast of sweets,” said Pollard.

“Like the time when I was the designated angel leading carolers and stepped one knee up in a puddle earning the nickname ‘the Blackfoot angel,’ which my neighborhood never let me forget, were good times,” he shared.

For Zarena Z. Ali’s family, the entire house had to be scrubbed clean. “Scrubbing the house inside out, sewing plastic window blinds, (curtains), re-staining the chairs, and washing the butter to bake black cake, are great memories.”

She said, “finding a suitable green shrub and making our own Christmas Tree, watching the masquerade band with a ‘bull cow’ dancing down, mailing out Christmas cards, and the classic morning meal of Pepper Pot and homemade bread,” are the traditions Ali bring to mind.

Philipa Morrish’s Victorian scene, one of her many decorations to celebrate Christmas back home.Photo by Tangerine Clarke

Phillipa Morrish, who adores the spirit of celebrating Christmas, go all out to transform her home into a festive paradise with a nativity scene, three Christmas trees, and decorations to fill her heart, and the hearts of friends of family. She loves Yuletide.

This year, Morrish decorated with a Victorian village, as a tribute to Guyana’s British history.

Brendo Freso, enjoyed decorating the Christmas tree with her mom on Christmas Eve night, while Joy Williams was eager to wake up on Christmas morning to lots of gifts under the tree, and sitting down with family for a delicious dish of Pepper Pot with bread.

The children of Green Acres School in Georgetown welcomed the season with a colorful Christmas parade, to celebrate elements that make the season so festive and nice. Some were dressed as Santa Claus, others were Elves, the Grinch, and the Christmas Tree.