The people of Tobago and Trinidad during Christmas
The people of Tobago and Trinidad take the Christmas period as a social period. Many individuals host parties in various places, and both the adults and children socialize with relatives and friends while sharing multiple types of food and drinks.
The period is always maker ked with merrymaking activities. Local radio stations are usually filled with traditional and current Christmas carols from the US as well as Trinidadian Christmas songs and carols.
One of the most played Trinidadian music is the ‘Parang,’ which is a bubbly Trinidad-Venezuela type of music that is usually sung in Spanish. There has also been an integration of the ‘Soca Parang’ genre of music that is sung in English. Many people love being ‘Parranderos’ and g around singing Christmas songs in the evening during this time. There are numerous kinds of instruments that are used in the playing of Parang music, including maracas, guitars as well as two blocks of wood that ate referred to as ‘toc-toc.’ If one is an outstanding singer, they could secure some food or drink.
Most people revamp their houses by painting and repairing them, as well as putting decorations, such as lights and hanging new curtains. Mostly, Christmas time is when a lot of people restock their furniture and other household appliances. Most people spend the actual Christmas Day at their homes with relatives and friends.
Christmas Day meals are generally made in the entire mid-December up to the New Year! Some of the typical Christmas meals for the Trinibagonians include sorrel, apples, ‘Poche-de-crème ‘which is a kind of egg-nog, grapes, ginger beer, turkey, local, wine, pastels- a type of tamales, homemade bread, ham, and turkey.
It is a common practice for the people of Trinidad to eat the Christmas fruitcake. The fruits that are used for baking the cake are usually soaked in rum, cherry wine, and sherry some months before Christmas.
The Trinidadians refer the New Year’s Eve as the ‘Ole year’s night,’ and they celebrate it by firing off fireworks in celebration of a brand new year!