Foreigners tasting the Guyanese Christmas
-embrace new traditions while maintaining old ones
DPI, Guyana, Friday, December 20, 2019
Foreigners on these shores are embracing the Guyanese Christmas even as they cherish their traditions.
Venezuelan Mickel Perres, who has lived in Guyana for a year and six months, and operates a hotdog stand says Christmas in Guyana is nice.
“Christmas in Venezuela is really really good like in Guyana; it’s plenty people shopping buying something for the homes.”
He says the only difference is the food.
“The special [Christmas] food in Venezuela is hallaca.” Hallaca is made with cornflour, beef, egg, carrots and pork.
While Perres has a liking for pepperpot, he plans to stick to his roots on Christmas morning.
Victmari Zambrano, a saleswoman, will be celebrating her first Guyanese Christmas, having moved from Venezuela eight months ago.
“In Venezuela, [Christmas] party [is the] 24th, [and in] Guyana [it’s the] 25th, it’s different in party.”
She notes that in Venezuela, they enjoy an eggnog ponche on Christmas morning. She plans to visit the Giftland Mall with her family on Christmas Eve.
Sameera, another Venezuelan, expressed her appreciation for the Christmas decoration and lights.
“It’s pretty nice, pretty nice, people put lights everywhere, it’s really cute. I love this, this Christmas. In Venezuela it’s totally different.” This Christmas is also her first in Guyana.
Meanwhile, Wang Wang, from China, told DPI that there is no Christmas celebration in her motherland.
“In China, it’s about Chinese New Year, no [Christmas], just the Chinese New Year.”
Wang has lived in Guyana for 25 years and has appreciated her Christmas days here.
“I enjoy here, I get a couple beer, I do anything, I go dance, I go party.”
Wang decorates her home and makes pepperpot for Christmas just like thousands of Guyanese do across the country.