Dear Editor,
This new generation needs to be told that Christmas and the season were not celebrated the same way today as they were a few decades ago. There were not all of the niceties that exist today – the fancy decorations, designer clothing, unlimited food and drink, foreign products, etc. We had a simple Christmas but it was peaceful and enjoyable. People got along well. There were no animosity and ethnic tensions. There was a lot of caring and sharing among people. No one went to bed hungry for the season as people looked out for each another.
There was a lot of food and merry-making. There were family get-togethers and people had a hearty time. And often the men were seen drinking in the streets or at their homes and in bars, but for the most part they were well behaved. People embraced and exchanged cards and gifts. People were excited to receive cards or radio greetings from overseas. Traditional music (local calypso, chutney, soca, carols, Christmas songs, Bollywood songs) were blasted throughout neighbourhoods, especially in the rural areas.
No Christmas was without masquerade bands (musicians with mouth organ, a flute and drums) – men dressed in skirts with live extempore music – which would go street to street and house to house to dance and receive donations. The young, including myself, had a terrific time performing for audiences and the extra money came in handy to purchase goodies. The youths looked forward to massala dishes, dhal-puri, pachounie and the several delicacies and local drinks. Getting bara and other goodies was quite a task, because the ingredients, including flour, to make them were banned from entering the country and if found could earn the ‘guilty’ party stiff fines. Accompanying these delicious meals were home-made ice-cream and fresh fruits (apples, pears, grapes), as well as dried dates from the temperate countries. For some reason, people associate these fruits with the season and the youths would look forward to a taste of the delicious red apples or grapes. But during the 1970s, imported fruits and nuts were banned.
On Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day after lunch, people would gather around their radios to listen to greetings from relatives overseas. It was quite an excitement to hear the name of one’s family announced over the radio. There was no TV, and phone communication was virtually inaccessible.
In spite of the many limitations, it was a good old time celebrating the season with peace, tranquillity, love and respect for one another – quite unlike what we observe today with the high incidence of criminality and prejudice.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
