Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah & Kwanzaa!! I pray and hope that each one of you had a fantastic day, filled with lots of love, joy, peace, and prosperity. By the time you’re reading this blog post, we would have made it to the year 2021.
I want to wish you all a Happy and prosperous new year. May this year bring you success, new achievements, positivity, happiness and so much more.
Spending Christmas in a new destination I assume is exciting but have you ever spent it in Paradise? Imagine waking up to bright blue clear sunny skies, a cool breeze brushing against your face, and the option to visit the beach. Have you guessed where I am talking about? If you guessed Barbados you are absolutely correct.
The best part is, you don’t need to pack your winter clothes, worry about the cold and you still have the option to explore the island if you choose to!
For those of you who never experienced Bajan Christmas, I suggest you add this to your bucket list. Before going any further, if you are thinking about taking a trip to the island, please visit Barbados, for all covid-19 protocols. As much as we welcome you to our beautiful island, we would still love for you to adhere to all rules and protocols.
The beginning of December in a Barbadian household always starts with cleaning, but no ordinary cleaning. Cleaning our homes for the holidays means everything will be turned upside down, the removal of curtains for a period of time, furniture to be rearranged, windows to be cleaned in and out, and more.
Cleaning is completed on Christmas eve and if you have not realized by now, we take our holiday cleaning very seriously. To add to the cleaning list, some may choose to change the paint color of their holiday, while others may just give it a new coat of paint.
This year Christmas trees were limited, as I assumed to due covid-19, and were sold out within the first week of December. Most stated no new shipment orders were being placed, due to the duration it would take for trees to arrive. Driving during the Christmas season can be crazy, as Barbadians rush to get in that last bit of shopping. All COVID-19 protocols were still followed nonetheless.
On Christmas day, family, friends, and loved ones gather to celebrate with each other. Meals are usually prepped on Christmas eve, so less cooking to be done on Christmas day. A traditional Bajan Christmas lunch consists of meals such as baked chicken, macaroni pie, ham, peas pie, jug-jug, black cake, sorrel, and much more.
I was somewhat tricked out of the house on Christmas day, so mom and dad could surprise me with my first gift. Ideally, I woke up to assist in the kitchen, but I guess my parents had other plans for me. After my errand, I manage to assist with preparing our Christmas lunch. Around noon our peas pie, sweet potato pie, and the baked chicken were ruined. Not sure if this had anything to do with the heat, but the peas pie exploded in the oven. The broken dish one of our pies were in, scattered onto the chicken and sweet potato pie, causing us to dispose of those dishes.
Overall, I truly enjoyed my Christmas and I am thankful to have spent it with my family and loved ones.
The year 2020 has been a crazy year but it was a blessing in disguise for me. Some of us were able to find other ways of income, new business ideas, ventures, and allowed us to be creatives. For me, I was able to figure out how I can become my own boss by simply doing what I always wanted to do. Working from home was such a great experience on top of being in a positive space that allowed me to truly think about my career path.
Don’t ever be afraid to reach for the stars if you are shy or worried about what others may think, but rather turn those negatives into positives. Take the time to perfect your craft, research, and finds ways for you to enhance your skills.
