Caribbean Christmas Traditions

First and foremost Holiday Greetings to you and yours from the Jantu Caribbean Family.  We wish you a happy and safe holiday filled with merriment, family and friends.  A full belly, music and family is definitely  common to all countries although their is a inherent religious aspect to Christmas and a unique ethnicity to different parts of the Caribbean.  From doing the research it is amazing how much we have in common in terms of Christmas traditions.  Every island has a version of Christmas pudding or Black pudding and sorrel, ginger beer or egg nog are the drinks of choice.  In addition shopping, gift giving and festivities complete the celebrations.  The differences in tradition varies mostly from who the main occupiers of the countries were, for example the English speaking countries compared to the french influenced or Spanish influenced countries.

sorrel

In Haiti, Martinique and Guadeloupe the tradition of children leaving their shoes under the Christmas tree for Santa Claus or Papa Noel to put their presents in or around is a French tradition while the English tradition is for gifts to be placed under the tree.  While in Dominica Republic children are presented their gifts on January 6th the day of the Three Kings.

Antigua and Barbuda Christmas eve is spent on Market Street doing Christmas shopping, similar to Jamaica where this tradition is called Christmas Market or Grand Market the largest being in Downtown Kingston.  Christmas dinner usually consists of pork (boiled, stewed or corned).  

In the Bahamas it is all about Junkanoo, Junkanoo, Junkanoo.  The dancing, drumming, singing and people dressed in costumes parading through the streets.  In bright colours depicting different characters.  Definitely will write a post about the celebration of Junkanoo and various versions of it soon.  Jamaica mainly in the rural areas also celebrate with Jonkanoo.  St Kitts and Nevis, St Croix have a version called Mocko Jumbies and Belize call it John Canoe.  

Christmas cake/Black cake

In Barbados Jug Jug (click for recipe) with pork is a must in every household with a glass of sorrel.  Dishes made with green peas and rice, baked ham, roast turkey with its stuffing, roast pork, sweet potato, yam pie, and of course Christmas pudding steamed for hours.  The tradition of driving around and admiring other peoples decorations is also another common practise in Caribbean islands.

The Caribbeans only western country Belize has a rum and egg nog concoction called "rum popo"  (click for recipe).  One prominent tradition is the 10 day procession commemorating Mary and Josephs search for lodgings before the birth of Jesus by the Mestizo group.  The tradition of cleaning, painting and refurbishing the home before Christmas is also practised in Belize and is also popular in Jamaica, Haiti and Dominica Republic.  

The island of Cuba didn't restore its celebration of Christmas until after the visit of Pope John Paul II to the island the January of 1998.  A must have for a Cuban Christmas dinner is roasted pork, usually accompanied by black and white beans and Cuban bread to name a few.

In the Dominican Republic, Christmas is celebrated on December 24th with the tradition of exchanging food with neighbours.  Drink of choice is usually egg nog and Christmas carolling is popular in mainly the rural areas.  Midnight mass is also a strong tradition as well as in Guadeloupe and Haiti .

Parang is the music played during the season in both Grenada and Trinidad.  Groups go around serenading in their neighbourhoods.  In Grenada it is song in English while in Trinidad it is Spanish.  Black fruit cake, ham, rice and green pigeon peas, macaroni pie, sorrel, ginger beer and Clarke's Court white, dark or red rum are the order of the day. 

parang band

 Santa Clause is referred to as Papa Noel in Haiti and on Christmas even the children place their shoes nice cleaned up shoes filled with straw on the porch or under the tree for Papa Noel to remove the straw and put his presents in or around the shoes.  Christmas day is about food, drinking, singing, and playing with the gifts from Papa Noel.  A beverage called Anisette is had by all including children during Christmas it is a mild alcoholic beverage made by soaking the Anise leaves in rum and sweetened with sugar.  In Jamaica children also get to partake of the sorrel drink with has some Jamaican white rum as well.  After midnight mass and carolling Haitian go back home to enjoy the meals they call "reveillion" with is the french work for Christmas supper.  It is a french verb meaning "wake up".  It is a meal that begins very early morning and often lasts nearly til dawn.

St Kitts and Nevis and the island of  St Croix combine Christmas celebrations and carnival.  It is a lot of music, dancing in the streets, competitions such as Calypso Monarch and floats with Mocko Jumbi's.  

St Lucia has a unique tradition called "bursting the bamboo" from late November til Christmas in which men use kerosene, rags and sticks as fuses and make cannons out of the hollowed out bamboo.  They also have a Festival of lights and renewal beginning December 13th.  The celebration honours the Patron Saint of Light St Lucy with the switching on of the Christmas lights and a lantern making competition in towns and villages. 

St Vincent also has a festival called Nine Morning Festival which starts 9 days before Christmas (excluding Sundays).  String bands make their music on the streets of Kingstown and the hustle of the shoppers buying those last minute gifts.  

The influence of the Spanish culture is prominent in Trinidad and Tobago.  The egg nog is called "ponche de creme" (click for recipe), black cake, ginger beer, Carib beer or sorrel are the drinks of choice.  Christmas is also the lead into the Carnival Season with culminates on the Monday and Tuesday just before Ash Wednesday.  

poinsette plant

All and all we have much more in common than differences in how we celebrate Christmas in the Caribbean. And it is a shame that we are still so divided even with all these similarities.  It would be nice if each island decided to include one dish from another Caribbean island in their Christmas dinner to show our unity.  Which dish should I choice?  Drop us a line on facebook or twitter and give suggestions and/ family recipes.  And send us pictures of your Island Christmas.  

        Thanks and Have a wonderful Christmas everybody.

email 

twitter

facebook

Project Runway Season 9 Episode 2 and 3

A lot has been going on for the last 2 weeks so I apologise for my tardiness with my blog post on Project Runway but here we go.  So happy to report that #PR9Anya voting is going very nicely.  She is ahead and keep voting people.  Caribbean unite.  Go to www.lifetime.com or go on twitter @projectrunway.  Vote for #PR9anya for #ProjectRunway Fan Favorite. Vote for your favorite designer at http://bit.ly/rlwDVi via@projectrunway.  Now for my reviews on Episode 2 and 3.

The challenge for Episode 2 was to use unconventional materials from a Pet Store and it is amazing what creative minds can conceive.  I must say I was disappointed with Bert's attitude towards this challenge.  Just because you  have immunity from elimination does not mean you must disregard the challenge.  That should be the time you take a huge risk and experiment, but maybe that is just me.  I would have taken the opportunity to come our of my comfort zone and think outside the box.  Bert dropped out of my Top 3 because of the attitude and even more so because the outfit he sent out was not cute.  The outfit made from bird seeds looked better than an outfit from fabric.  Shame on you Bert, too early to get into Diva mode.

Anthony's brid seed creation Episode 3

The outfits that I did like were:  Anya's top I loved the colour combinations.  I could rock that with some wide leg pants.  I agree with the judges for the most part with the top three.  I have an appreciation for Joshua M's design but it reminded me of the 80's a little too much and I would have put Anthony's birdseed dress as my first choice and Olivier's as my second.

Bryce's send me home creation

Fallene oh Fallene, it is like you are getting lost and overwhelmed.  I think the pressure is getting to you already.  Same for Julie and Viktor, it is not quite coming together.  I kind of see the vision but the execution is way off.  There is no wow factor still for me seeing Kimberly, Cecile and Danielle's outfits.

Now I totally agree with sending Bryce home, it wasn't the worse outfit but being in the bottom last week, then playing it safe with mostly fabric wasn't the smartest choice.  What happened to that belt you had when Tim Gunn came to look on your progress after the first day?.  Bryce did not heed Tim's warning about take your cue from what you have done so far.  The bottom of the outfit would have made it spectacular.  Bryce you have a lot of potential I don't think a competition is the best way for it to come out.  You are a laid back easy going person and stress is not your friend.  I wish him luck and keep doing what you doing.

Now for Episode 3.  The Go Big or Go Home Team Challenge.  Nothing like a little Caribbean luck for Anya to be paired up with Olivier.  I couldn't wait to see Olivier deal with colour.  There was colour other than beige.  The colours were still muted but at least we got some colour.  The challenge for Episode 3 was an outdoor fashion show with models on Stills and if that wasn't challenging enough it was a team challenge.

Team Anya and Olivier Episode 3

Let the drama begin.  The drama between Bert and Viktor partnering up was not surprising.  Two Divas in one pen and as expected the results were disastrous.  Once again, I am not loving Bert's attitude at all.  Kids you need to play nice.  The winning of the first challenge has clearly gone to his head but he surely got a rude awakening after this challenge.  Their main problem was the choice in fabric.  Viktor was so right in that comment and Bert could not even own up to it.  Once again shame on you Bert.

Ugly fabric choice for Team Bert and Viktor

So it was Project Runway's first outdoor fashion show which made it interested.  Now the designer got to see the reaction of the audience as well.  Which is tricky when you add a few additional feet to the model.  I must say this episode did not really grab me.  I got a little bored.  No real wow factor for me.

Once again I agreed with the judges top 3 and bottom 3.  Unfortunately they sent home Fallene and rightfully so, she choked in this challenge.  Team Anthony and Laura won the challenge, with Laura getting immunity from eliminations for the next challenge.  Well deserved.

Winning creation from Team Laura and Anthony

So until Episode 4, remember Go Hard or Go Home.

Project Runway Season 9 Episode 1 _"Come as you are"

One of my favourite shows on television, I love Project Runway @projectrunway I have watched every season and it gets better and better.  Hence my excitement when the Jamaican version Mission Catwalk @mission_catwalk had their first season this year with the winner Sheena and runner up @yannizle.  Caribbean talent at its best.  I digress.  Now for my review of Project Runway Season 9, looks like it will be the best season yet, I agree with Tim Gunn.

Watching the talent of 16 designers that made it to the show in both the casting special and episode one for the most part I am impressed.  So apart from being one of my favourite shows you know it got even better when I heard that one of our Caribbean Queens was on the show.  A Queen not because she was Miss Trinidad and Tobago 2008 but a strong talented Caribbean woman is always royalty in my book.  Her name is Anya Ayoung_Chee @AnyadeRogue  #PR9Anya.  Who by the way you can vote for as the fan favourite on twitter but typing #PR9Anya in your tweet.  With that unapologetic bias aside here is my unbiased review of Episode 1 in a nutshell.

Tim woke up the designers at 5am and the challenge was to "come as you are" and carry the white sheet on their bed.  Challenge was to design an outfit from what they were wearing (sleepwear) and the sheet as their fabric.  What they came up with showed their talent.  Think about what you slept in last night, what would you design using just that and a white sheet as your fabric and you will have a greater appreciation of what these designers did.

My favourites are as follows:

• Bias aside Anya's clothes I would wear in a heartbeat.  There were 4 pieces that I want like now.     (1) Loved the white and black romper jumper she wore in the casting special.  That with a chunky piece neckpiece and a pair of Bridget Sandal @bridgetsandals and I am dressed and out the door.  (Check our recommended websites).  Actually that could be said for all my favourite pieces.

          (2) and (3)Obviously the top and the pant that she did for the challenge - just WOW!  and 

          

          (4)  That long bronze skirt that you had at the casting special and had on the rack at the final interview

               Wish I got a better look on it but my eyes were drawn to it.

• Bert oh Bert my second star, the simple but classy cuts I love.  The day to evening pieces that should be in every woman's closet.  I like that his clothes just look easy to wear.  The just slip it on and you are dressed.  The cuts have that edge to them that I love, a few more inches in length.  I can't wait to see what else he has in store for us. #PR9Bert  

• Fallene is that touch of crazy that I love.  I would have worn that white and black dress with the clown over the toilet.  She is one of my overall favourites between the casting and the challenge.  I preferred Bryce's and Cecile outfits in the challenge.    #PRFallene

Now for my least favourite category:

• Not surprised Rapael got the boot because not only was his hair A HOT MESS but so was that outfit. I can't say there was any piece that I saw in the casting special or episode 1 that I would wear

• All the judges seem to be in awww of Oliver and I am just not getting it.  His clothes just don't speak to me at all.  It is still early days so maybe my position on him will change.
• And Viktor I don't get it either.  I just can't see the vision.  The clothes in the photos from the casting special looked nice but the actual pieces not so much.  I am just not clicking with his work.

I have my eye on Becky I liked what she carried to the castings but on the runway no so much.  I see her cuts as fantastic and that pop of colour in the lining.  I love it.  It was the opposite for Cecilia didn't like what she carried to the castings but liked what she had on the runway (just a little more length to the skirt).  And I loved Bryce's outfit on the runway,  the pieces from the casting are not my style but I appreciate his work.

All and all I am excited about the new season and I can't wait for episode 2.  I already watched episode 1 twice for today.  You can watch the full episodes on the Project Runway website (click on link)

Good Job Guys