Christmas in Barbados vs the Rest of the World.
Dreaming of a white sandy Christmas? Imagine sipping on sorrel under a coconut tree listening to a tropical remix of your favourite Christmas carols (listen to some here). Here is a look at Christmas in Barbados verses 10 other countries. Comment to let us know where you will be spending Christmas this year.
Temperature
Barbados is a warm 26 – 29 C with a cool island breeze all winter long. The perfect beach weather. In Canada temperatures can get into the minus 20°C range.
City Lights
Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados is lit up for Christmas like London and other capital cities around the world. Blue and yellow lights turn on November 1st in Barbados for the month of our Independence. On December 1st the lights are changed out for red and green Christmas colours.
Food
Pineapple and cherry glazed ham with Jug Jug on the side, that’s Christmas Dinner in Barbados (so much so that December has been named National ham season). Jug Jug is a traditional Bajan dish made mostly of mashed pigeon peas in a meat, bone, herbs and spices broth.
Japan does not traditionally celebrate Christmas, so when the ‘Christmas Party Barrel’ was launched in 1974 by Okawara, CEO of KFC Japan, it ‘filled a void’ in the need for a Christmas tradtion and was a huge success. Decades later, the tradition has grown and people in Japan will line up for hours to get a fried chicken dinner.
Drinks
Sorrel is the traditional Christmas drink in Barbados. This refreshing red drink has been proven to minimise risk of cancer. The drink contains, dried sorrel plant, cloves, orange zest, fresh ginger, sugar and water. At Christmas you might add a splash of Mount Gay Rum.
In Puerto Rico they drink another tropical concoction called Coquito. This eggnog like drink is made with rum, coconut milk, cinnamon, egg yolks and condensed milk and is enjoyed exclusively at Christmastime.
Dessert
Great Cake, Black Cake, Rum Cake or Christmas Cake, this Bajan dessert is known by many names. The cake is similar to Christmas Figgy Pudding with the addition of Bajan rum. To make the cake you soak the cherries, raisins, prunes and other fruit in rum for about a week before you begin to bake. The final product is a Christmas favourite enjoyed by all.
In Spain you can enjoy the Roscon de Reyes (The twisted roll of kings). This dessert is served all Christmas season long but is especially enjoyed on Three Kings Day (January 6th) you can see the crown used to decorate the dessert for this reason.
Christmas Market
Christmas Markets are thought to have originated in Germany in the year 1310. Today many countries around the world hold Christmas Markets selling craft, food, and toys. In Germany, Christmas Markets can attract upwards of 3 million visitors each, every year, making Christmas one of the most popular times to travel to Germany.
In Barbados, some schools and farmers’ markets hold ‘Christmas Markets’ leading up to Christmas Day. You can find toys, crafts, and fresh produce available for sale. The set-up is a lot less extravagant but it’s a good opportunity for local entrepreneurs to show case their products and services.
Santa Clause
Santa Clause makes his stop in Barbados on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning. As Barbadian homes are not built with chimneys Santa is said to place his finger on his nose to appear inside. In France, Père Noël visits to leave treats inside the shoes (as opposed to stockings) of children who have been good.
Carols by Candlelight
Australia claims Carols by Candlelight originated as their Christmas Tradition. On Christmas Eve 1937, a radio broadcaster Mr. Banks was walking through Melbourne when he noticed a lone woman listening to carols on her radio next to a lit candle. This inspired him to launch the community event for those without company during the holiday season. The first event was attended by 10,000 people and today has grown to over 85,000.
Inspired by Australia’s event, Barbados also host ‘Carols by Candlelight’ every year at the Prime Ministers house Ilaro Court. This year will be the 22nd edition of the event in Barbados.
The Broom
Bring out your broom, paint and new soft furnishings. In Barbados, Christmas is the time to refresh your home. Many people take the time to go through their closets to donate to the less fortunate or add a new colour paint to your home.
Norway has a quite unorthodox Christmas tradition. Unlike in Barbados, they hide their brooms at Christmastime. This tradition dates back for hundreds of years when people believed that witches would come out on Christmas eve looking for brooms to ride on.
Dress
Every Christmas morning, Bajans of all ages stroll through Queen’s Park in fine fashion. The men wear suits tailored just for the event, and the ladies are dressed in ball gowns. This tradition has become so popular that it is aired on TV and the best dressed are featured on the front page of the newspaper the next day.
In the States the dress is much more cozy and warm – matching Christmas Pajamas. Christmas is all about family time at home by the fireplace, watching movies and opening presents. What better outfits than pajamas, not to mention the cute family photos you can capture year after year.
Celebrate Christmas in Barbados next year. Now is the time to book your trip as Barbados is a very popular Christmas destination.
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