On the Fifth Day of Christmas My True Love Gave to Me

Five Golden Rings, Four Calling Birds,

Three French Hens, Two Turtle Doves,

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

Do Jamaicans sing Christmas Carols? Of course…. BUT….sometimes not in the way you think. No sah! We create wi owna style and mek dem wi own. Wi haffi do wi own ting. Jamaicans sing it like this:

On the fif day of Crismus mah true love gave to me

Five gyals a moggle in a shawts…..Oh Lawd!

Four sky juice

Chree ginger beer

Two blackbud

And a mango from a lime tree!

See another one here:

Santa ketch up in a Mango Tree

Mango Tree, Mango Tree

Santa ketch up in a Mango Tree

Patoo bawl out: What a Crismas treat!”

……Merry Crismas Santa Claas!!

…And that’s the unique creativity I miss most about Jamaica at Christmas time!…….

Now, listen to what other Jamaicans have to say about what they Miss Most About Jamaica at Christmas Time……Nov. 2007

“Mi miss di chaaclit tea wid ie ile pan ie tap”…( pana panap)…. “Have a Irie Crismus Jamaicans.com” M.M .C. Overland Park, Kansas, US

“What I miss the most is the fact that Christmas stawt from November and end in January. Why? As far back as I remember, I don’t cook from Nov. to January. People always a invite me to dem yaad from Nov. Mi miss the lovely gatherings around dem times deh, in spite of the violence a yaad. Crismas a time when yu an everybody a fren. Activities are done on the outdoors, unlike here where I have to be in doors (cho). Merry Christmas Jamaicans.com and Big up all Jamaicans all ova!” C.M.M., New York, US

“I miss Grand Market night, the great parties, seeing everyone home for Christmas. We used to get the best Xmas ham with rice and peas and roast chicken. Man, I am lickin my chops thinking of it. Happy holidays to all Jamdowners all over the world.” P.L. and the ‘L’ gang, Georgia, US

“I miss the warm gentle island breezes, the smell of cake baking and all the fruits soaking in the rum (that mi and mi sista use to eat out). I miss decorating the trees and shrubs with christmas lights and pretty paper. Every Christmas morning the entire family used to go to early church service then go home to a big breakfast and having friends and family over. We had lots of fried fish, ham, christmas cake and sorrel to wash it down. But most of all, I miss the warmth and love of my family and friends as we play and laugh into the night. Merry Christmas to the team of Jamaicans.com. Thanks for keeping us entertained and informed and bringing that beautiful island home just that much closer to us here in the US. Always Jamaican and loving it..…”.V.W., Georgia, US (but Jamaica on my mind)!!!

“I miss the simple pleasures of preparing for Christmas; cleaning the house and changing the bedspreads and curtains; scrubbing and whitewashing the walls. I miss making the decorations from book leafs, crayons and flour glue. I miss the greeting cards hanging across the front room. And then family and friends sitting in May Pen square to watch the giant Christmas tree twinkle all night. Yes! it was such a long time ago. Merry Christmas Jamaicans.com.” R.S., Brampton, Ontario Canada

“I miss the shopping and the large family dinner. Merry Christmas, my sweet Jamaica” J.A., Orlando, Florida, US

“I miss the social gatherings which is the fun part. People do work, but they find the time to go out and eat and have fun with friends. Merry Christmas Jamaicans.com!” N.S.C. Chatanooga Tennessee

“I miss the good ‘ole days when you use the three stone fire outta door and use big pot fi cook goat, and you stay for miles and smell di pot. Di coal pot give di food a special aroma. And then yu goh from house to house and visit yu neighbors and friends. And everybody have something to give you. So you get a piece of something from each house. An yu shell gungo till yu finger head green…Enjoy yu Christmas Jamaicans.com!!!” T.C. Georgia US

“I miss the crismus cake, the crismus pudding, the family gathering and the crismus breeze when you have to put on sweater a night time,, even in Kingston. Merry Christmas Jamaicans.com” S.R. Boston, US

“I miss Christmas Eve when all the little towns become alive until Christmas morning. People working through the night, restaurants open, flashing Christmas lights, bars open, stage shows, dancing. On Christmas day everything is dead. Christmas eve is the fun day, partying, then you go to church on Christmas morning, come home and sleep all day. I don’t think you can find this sort of festivity anywhere else in the world. That is true Christmas celebration right there and I don’t think you will find that anywhere else on the planet….Happy Christmas Jamaicans!!” N.S.L. Ontario, Canada

“I miss the chrismus breeze, the smell of cake baking in the oven, the big cooking, the festive crismus spirit, grandmarket night. You really noh buy nuff, but you find all your friends and have mega fun! Yu mek fun a people’s clothes grandmarkit night, an den crisumus morning yu goh a church an repent. Mi miss di crismus caroling, crismus breakfast, and time with family. Oonu enjoy di crismus Jamaicans.com and Jamaicans everywhere!…even in yu mind wherever you are..” D.A.L. Georgia US

“What I miss about Christmas time in Jamaica is being busy, with people shopping for clothes to wear to Grand Market. I miss the smell of rum and fruits soaking in rum and spiced to that sweet fruit cake. I remember my parents used to say be careful on the roads because there are a lot of drunk drivers from the celebration. What I miss the most is scraping the left over batter after the baking tins were filled. To Jamaicans and Jamaica.com, Merry Christmas!” B.D. Orlando, Florida

“I miss the Christmas show at church the day before Christmas Day, the Christmas Extravaganza at the schools. I remember being one of the ‘angels’ at my school. I miss the Christmas cake. We used to go down to Miss Vi house and help bake har cake. We would get the bowl and lick the batter. Merry Christmas Jamaica!!” S.G.H. Georgia, US

“What do I miss most about Jamaica at Christmas time is Grandmarket and the genesis gosel concert. Those are the only two nights I can be out at odd hours of the night. 10.00pm or 11.00pm we receive permission to go shopping, street vendors and the noise. The only time I am not afraid to walk late at night, and you could herar the music, not that crime was not happening, you are caught up in the entire festivity, you hear the Christmas carols, (old time Jamaican crismas carol) and you reach home, everyone is up baking cake and the sorrell. And you enjoy it with friends,And this is the only time of year when you drink soda every day without sharing a bottle. Mother used to buy each of us one crate of soda,, you set up late at night wrapping gifts, curtain a change, bed linen a change, putting up crismas lights ,those are the moments. You do work but you enjoy the work. Those were the days! Merry Christmas to you all at Jamaicans.com.” C.L. Georgia, US

This is what I miss the most about Jamaica at Christmastime. When I was little, the week before Christmas was filled with activities such as white washing the tree trunks, washing all the dishes in the china cabinet and the cases of soda that Daddy would bring home for Christmas day. It was very exciting since I knew this was in preparation for the most celebrated and enjoyable holiday in Jamaica. P.M. Georgia, US

What I miss the most about christmas in Jamaica is the spirit of the season. I miss the caroling and also the white-washed post or trees. I miss the bulo work- the smell of the dry grass burning… the grand market affair…the smell of roast corn and the hustle and bustle of the villagers going to and fro on the mini-bus. I am getting too homesick to say anything else. Frankly, I miss HOME! Let me wish ALL JAMAICANS a very merry christmas. May the Christ of the season rest in your heart. M.B. and family, Maryland, US

“I miss going to the country with my brothers, sisters, and cousins to spend time with our grandparents, aunties, and uncles. It was great going to river, eating the good food (rundung with dumplins and green banana) and telling duppy stories in the night.” H.M.B., British Columbia, Canada