Shondell Peters, University Student: ‘I don’t really have any plans for Christmas because I’m at the university and I have exams until Wednesday. I haven’t done any cleaning as yet. I’m waiting for my husband to come so that he’ll take on the cleaning, he’s coming on Monday so when he comes, he’ll do the cleaning.
I have the normal things planned, I’ll bake and so on but that will have to happen after Wednesday. Probably I’ll get to the baking on Thursday.
Do some baking and some cleaning and so on to try to prepare so that Christmas morning everything will be spick and span.
I usually stay home, Christmas Day is a home day, a family day. But this year my sister and I are planning to invite my siblings for Christmas morning breakfast. Siblings, cousins and my nieces and nephews, the entire family.
Joseph Paul: `Basically it will just be me going around and visiting my family and hanging out with my friends. Just having fun.
I’m not quite sure as yet if we’ll have any events but this Christmas is more about having fun. We’re having a family get together on Christmas Day and just enjoy the day.’
Akeem Persaud, Self Employed: `I’m going back in the backdam because I can’t spend Christmas here, it’s too expensive. I don’t live out here, most times I spend my time in Puruni and Bartica. I always spend Christmas there, it’s really nice. Me and my kids come to town and shop and then go back. I just come here and buy goods and take back to sell. It’s a lot nicer there than out here, there aren’t as many robberies. During Christmas we would all come together and enjoy we self. We would make ourselves merry and buy presents for the kids.’
Natasha George: `Basically I think Christmas is about family so it’s family oriented, the usual stuff, you cook, you spend time with your family, and you relax and enjoy the holidays.
I don’t have any events planned, it’s more like a home thing for me. I’ll be baking this weekend.’
Mona Beckles, Pensioner: `Every Christmas time I do kettling. Christmas Day we have a nice time at the Salvation Army. Sometimes we go to the hospital and donate to the mothers of firstborns and second-borns and third-borns, we usually go every Christmas.
I’ve been doing this for four years. I’m doing it for God and the children. Sometimes we go to Fogarty’s, it rotates. I won’t be doing anything special until January, because I’ll be celebrating my birthday.’
Joylyn Benjamin, Vendor: `Most of my time is out here. I haven’t done anything yet except wipe walls and cobweb. Christmas Day, well we go home till about 4 in the afternoon. On Christmas Eve we night ride until Christmas afternoon.
Christmas Eve night to Christmas morning, like 4 o clock, all the vendors are out here. If you pass tonight you’ll see them out here night riding. A lot of people don’t go home, they just cover up their goods, scotch tape it and leave it.
In the morning they come, open it, get somebody to watch it, then go home, bathe, brush their teeth and come back out. Sometimes all your goods aren’t finished and people like to do late shopping so like until 1 and 2 o clock people are out here shopping. Sometimes you don’t even know when it’s Christmas morning until people come and wish you Merry Christmas.’
Christopher Weekes, Overseas-based Guyanese: ‘I’m visiting my homeland and my plans for this Christmas is to be with family, enjoy the festivities of the season, eat a lot of Guyanese food, and hopefully get some rest.
I come regularly but about every two or three years with the family for Christmas. I’m not really looking forward to any particular event but I like to see the hustle and bustle in town. I sort of miss it this year, I don’t know if it’s the VAT that’s affecting everybody or what, but it has slowed down.
The city is cleaner than ever before but it has slowed down. I don’t see as many people selling as usual and that affects me, because I enjoy the hustle and the bustle. To me that makes the Christmas.
I actually can walk with my eyes closed, I can drive without holding on to the seats, and it’s not as fast-paced as it usually is. I don’t know if it will pick up, but by the time it picks up Christmas would have passed.’
Arthur Thijn, Self Employed: `Peace and quietness and love are my plans. Christmas morning I will have a good Christmas breakfast, a lot of fruits. I will be spending Christmas here with my family in Guyana. We would be at the Creative art expo here in Courtyard Mall until Christmas Eve. And then we will do some travelling, go to Suriname those are my plans for Christmas and the New Year.’
Christel Baptiste, Artist: `Being an artist my plans are to exhibit as you can see right now basically designing and exhibiting for the Christmas holidays as well as on a personal basis …being with family and catching up with old friends because you know around Christmas time a lot of people come back.
I will be looking forward to Christmas Day itself and the presents. Since Christmas is a Sunday I might find myself in Church definitely and I’m looking forward to the Light up at Courtyard Mall and more of the exhibitions that will be coming up.’
Kamini Seenanand, Housewife: My plans for Christmas are normal, traditional Guyanese Christmas. You cook, eat, spend time with family and that’s it.
Just spending quality time with my children and husband at home.
We will definitely be going to church. My favourite part about Christmas is seeing my children happy, playing with their toys and each other. When they are happy I am happy too.’