Caribbean Christmas

First Caribbean Christmas done! And Bajans really do it in festive style - there have been Christmas songs all over the radio for the last two months....

As soon as Indpendence Day was complete then it was like a switch flipped - lights went up, trees came out, and the focus was on Santa.

We found someone selling trees on the 30th November and were so worried they would sell out that we snapped one up then and there.
For future reference, they don't seem to sell out, not even the real ones, which do surprisingly survive well in the heat!

First on the Christmas Calendar after that was "Carols By Candlelight". We were unaware and unprepared.
This is huge, and all about the kids. Massive gala concert held in the grounds of the Prime Ministers house.

Excellent line up, great food and music, Etta really in the spirit, and we even gained an extra Bajan child who came to give me a hug and then stayed with her new family.

Literally everyone here makes an effort, all month, whether it's just showing some extra festive spirit, wearing red, or decorating your entire house in lights.

People really go to town, whether they are living in a mansion or a chattel house - this one was Etta's favourite and regularly had people parked up outside and walking around.

We have become regular attendees at "The Church Of The Blue Pineapple", a beach front bar with children's activities on Sundays.
Etta managed to cover herself in paint the first week, but has since successfully had her face painted professionally AND met Santa (who was 3 hours late - Bajan Santa).

But the real Christmas Eve arrival was Aunty Chuck, flying in thanks to BA connections (cheers Paul & Jed!).

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without some family, and we had been hard at work so she had somewhere to sleep (sofa bed) and somewhere for us to eat on Christmas Day (gin deck).

But even before main Christmas lunch we attended an island wide Christmas tradition - parading fashion at Queens Park.
Obviously the ladies got the idea of looking glamorous, and I was there to consume beer and cake.
Is this in fact how the football team "Queens Park Rangers" got their name? Answers on the back of a postcard.

Boxing Day means horses in the UK, and Barbados is known as Little Britain so off to the Garrison we head.
Jen only bet on 6 out of 9 races, and backed 5 winners including a 1-2, so definitely a system worth copying there!
Aunty Chuck also broke her fish cake fast and Etta slept soundly at the finishing line through many loud close races........

All in all a fun festive time before family farewells on New Year's Eve.