Plans for the Christmas season

What the people say about...

Photos by Shabna Rahman

 

Ignatius Jones

Ignatius Jones, self-employed,

‘I just plan to have a normal Christmas with my aunt who lives with me. She is in her 90s and I want to make her happy. Once I get food in my house I am good to go. Christmas would be quiet because my children and my grandchildren do not live in Guyana. Every year it is my normal routine to fix up my house with decorations so the place can look nice to put me in the Christmas mood. ‘

Andre Mc Calmont

 

 

 

Andre Mc Calmont, geological technician,

‘I don’t have any big plans for Christmas. I work away from home so I just came to spend the time with family and friends. That is essential for me right now so I intend to have a good time with them. I love to cook so I’ll be helping to cook on Christmas Day. The menu depends on whatever mom wants.’

 

 

Ann France

Ann France, janitor, ‘I won’t be having Christmas because Christmas is for when you have money. My salary is very small and soon I would stop earning because I got sick. I just trust in God for good health and strength for the New Year. I don’t really do any special preparation for that day. My children are working so they would help to buy things for the home and they would do the cooking.’

 

 

Allison Edwards

Allison Edwards, charwoman, ‘I plan to enjoy myself for the Christmas even though I don’t have any kind of money. But the little that I get, I am still thankful for it. I have to bless it and multiply it and enjoy the rest of the season with my family and friends who would come over. My wish is that I get more money for the New Year. I would normally cook a nice meal on that day and make my pepperpot and bread. I don’t go to church on Christmas because Christmas is too busy. I go to church on Old Year’s night though.’

 

Roy Cyrus

Roy Cyrus, minibus driver, ‘I plan to spend the Christmas cool with my family with lots of love, especially for the little ones. That is what Christmas means to me; it is all about family time; spending quality time with them. I would provide everything for the home and my wife and other family members would do the cooking and the baking. I am a baptized Christian so I go to church on that day. I just praise God for health and strength.’

 

 

Gaitree Morgan

 

 

Gaitree Morgan, vendor, ‘I don’t plan to do anything too much, just to cook and enjoy. Christmas is a day to stay home and spend with my family. We would have pepperpot and bread in the morning and then I would make a nice lunch. I already started shopping and I got new curtains and decorations for the home. Christmas is a very special time for everybody. I would spend Boxing Day and New Year’s Day with my in laws.’

 

 

Jewel Joseph

Jewel Joseph, finance manager, ‘I won’t be around [in the country] this year for Christmas as I intend to spend the holidays in Botswana. I have a cousin who lives there and she is getting married so we are all going over to celebrate with her. I plan to have a good time this Christmas because it is going to be a big family reunion and a big celebration.’

 

 

Helen Andrews

 

 

Helen Andrews, sales representative, ‘I am planning to spend my Christmas with my mom and grandmother in Bartica. My sister and my son would go with me too. I would go to church on Christmas morning and I would also help with the cooking and the baking. That is a special time for us and we would make sure we enjoy ourselves.’

 

 

Andrew Maraj

Andrew Maraj, vendor, ‘My plans for the Christmas would not be as before because the economy, as I see right now is not how it used to be. The money I would make around this time, I haven’t seen half of it as yet. Business is not the same so I already budgeted myself to spend less. So Christmas would not be big for me; it would be very simple. There would be no blind [curtain] shopping and no fancy decorations in the house but I would make sure that there is enough food. I do a coconut oil business and I rear my own stocks – ducks and chickens and so I just have to purchase rice and other stuff. We would be baking cake and goodies; that’s a must. So we plan to make ourselves happy with whatever little we have.’

 

 

 

Lavern George

Lavern George, vendor, ‘My plans this year is to get closer to Christ and serve him because he is the reason for the season.  So that is my plan and whatever he has in store for me I would accept and bless. I celebrate Christmas with my family and I go to church. As usual, I would decorate my home and cook a nice meal and eat up and be merry and rejoice and come together as one with my family.’

 

 

Ashley Williams-Doolall

Ashley Williams-Doolall, stay-at-home mom,‘I plan to spend the holidays with my family and very close loved ones. It a usual thing for us to decorate so we start getting the feeling of Christmas. But with the little one [daughter], we would have to decorate a little higher. This is her second Christmas and I believe this is a time for the children mostly to enjoy. I would be buying her lots of presents. We would prepare fancy dishes and the family would have a few drinks and have a merry time together.  We would spend Christmas and Boxing Day together as well as Old Year’s and New Year’s;  we ensure we are together.’