Christmas Past: The Jamaican Episode (My Childhood Memories)

In this lovely season, my mind drew me back to 40 years ago to Christmas in the 70’s.  My parents were never rich, but hardworking and my mother was a woman who believed in making her place a home.  Every Christmas holiday, hours before the 25^th, my mother got up early, get dressed, and got to the kitchen.  With the smell of breakfast, it was the signal for me and my sister to get up and do some serious house hold chores.

My sister and I did the windows, polished the furniture, swept and shone the red tiled floors till you could see your own reflection on them.  If anyone chose to visit, they would not go inside due to the sheen they saw through the house from the polished floors.  My father, he usually would go outside and shaped the various Christmas plants around the yard such as the poinsettias, snow whites, the willows and the blood-red hibiscus plants.  The yard would be cut and raked, grass heaped and at the end, my father would bring his crop of sorrel that he had planted and reaped.

We all took part annually in our family ritual but what stood out for me, now that I am much older, was the food preparation! Man, my sister and I were the human cake mixers!  The best part of this activity was to lick the mixing spoon and the basin after the mixture was poured in baking tins and placed in  an oven! Boy, did my sister and I worked our tongues!  I washed the plates and helped cleaned up the kitchen, while my sister eagerly eyed the oven with every clicking minute. 

My father usually brought in a nice cut of the willow branch that would become our Christmas tree.  Mom demonstrated how to use art paper and make decorations, both the chain links, snowmen and placed them on the tree, walls and ceiling.  There were some commercial decorations, and these were always preserved in a secret place.  They mysteriously would come out annually and find themselves on the token tree in the living-room. 

When the food was ready, we were told to get cleaned and dressed and we put on formal maxis only to arrive in the dining room to see new table cloth, plates, drinking glasses, and cutlery.  My father was well dressed in a dinner jacket. Each of us was asked to take out specific items from out of the kitchen and place unto the dining table.  After saying the grace, my father had his red and white Phillips record player playing one of Jim Reeves Christmas albums.  The music was very sweet and mellow, but what was even better was the smell of fruit cake, turkey, rice and peas, sorrel and roast beef in the air!  It was one splendid affair, all dressed up to partake in the Christmas feasting at home.  The deserts were ice cream, fruit cake and jellow placed in crystal dishes. We all used the brand new silverware to eat.

There can never be a time for me to have a bad Christmas.  No matter how broke or sad I might have been prior to the season, I am always in good cheer due to the delicious, warm, family memories my mother created for me when I was a child.  Seeing that so many persons get depressed or sad at this time of year, I often repeat this story to all who want to listen, and while telling it each time, I can actually smell my mother’s cooking in the air.  Always a smile is etched on my face when Christmas is here.  Make great memories for your families, my mother did a great job with mine.