The Christmas spirit
What the people say about...
By Keisha McCammon
Stabroek News
December 11, 2006
Have you gotten into the spirit of Christmas? Do you plan to do a lot of Christmas shopping? What is on the menu for Christmas Day? We asked the man and woman in the street these questions and this is what they had to say:
Lashawna Hughes, sales clerk: 'I am in the Christmas spirit but I don't plan on doing a lot of Christmas shopping. My aunt and my grandmother will do the shopping since I have to work and won't have the time. Christmas day I will be having pepper pot and bread with Milo for breakfast; macaroni and cheese along with fried rice, baked chicken and potato salad for lunch and cake with drinks later in the day.'
Arvind Parasram, UG student: 'I am not in the Christmas spirit as yet because I have exams around the corner. By the end of next week I should be in the Christmas spirit. I plan on doing a lot of shopping for gifts for my mother, sisters and cousins. On Christmas day my mother will be baking cake and usually we would make fried rice and baked chicken.'
Davida Crandon, UG student: 'I am not yet in the Christmas spirit because I'm attending UG and I have exams but after December 18 I should be in the spirit. I plan on doing a lot of shopping and will be buying a lot of presents and a few household appliances and lots of groceries. Christmas day I will be having baked turkey, Spanish rice, baked potatoes and ginger beer.'
George Dilchan, customs broker: 'I am not in the Christmas spirit as yet because I have to work but when I go on leave I will be in the spirit. I plan to do a lot of shopping for decorations such as fairy lights, other things for my kitchen cupboards. On Christmas day I will be having baked chicken, prawns, pork and ham.'
Zafena Sultan, cosmetologist: 'I am in the Christmas spirit and I plan to do a lot of shopping on Christmas eve since that's the day that puts you more in the spirit. I will be having fried rice, baked chicken, potato salad, shandy and pina colada Caribbean twist.'
Eustace Fraser, contractor: 'I am not in the Christmas spirit because money is owed to me. I won't be doing a lot of Christmas shopping because of the finance. I will be having the usual for my Christmas that is fried rice, baked chicken, black cake and ginger beer.'
Jacqueline Kryenhoff, housewife: 'I am not in the Christmas spirit because to me it is just a way of spending cash and January you don't have any money. I am not fighting up this year with all the decorations and stuff. I don't have to do any shopping since I already have my Christmas curtains from last year, just mainly foodstuff I have to buy. I mostly give to the children at this time. My menu for Christmas day is pepper pot, baked chicken, macaroni and cheese, vegetable rice, creamed potato… the usual.'
Hugh Ward, newspaper vendor: 'I am in the Christmas spirit. I lived in New York for five years and that place is cold around this time and you tend to remember your family here. I feel Christmas is the happiest in Guyana. I plan to do shopping but chicken gone up, nut butter gone up and everybody looking for a raise. On Christmas day I will be having dholl and rice along with roti and curry.'
Lavern Hawke, self-employed: 'I am not really in the spirit but I'm trying to get into the Christmas spirit, I'm hearing the songs but there is still something lacking. I will be in the mood maybe the week before the holiday. It's the finance and I'm hearing about VAT so I'm being cautious. Today was the first day I went shopping and I went into one store. I don't want to be in any confusion later. On Christmas day I will be having black cake, baked chicken just a mild lunch nothing too large I have to watch my budget.'
Albert Foo, private sector employee: 'I just don't have the feeling of Christmas. The price for everything rising but salary is not going up and that's a fact. I can't afford to do any shopping and I don't plan to have a Christmas menu since I don't have money. It will be a normal day for me.