The people of Tobago and Trinidad take Christmas time as a social period.
Many individuals host parties in various places either in their houses or within their neighborhood, as both the adults and children, socialize with relatives and friends while sharing multiple types of food and drinks.
The period is always marked by merrymaking activities.
Xmas Carols in Trinidad and Tobago
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.
During this time, many people love being ‘Parranderos’ and go around singing Christmas songs in the evening.
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 you are an outstanding singer, you could probably 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, the Christmas period is when lots of people restock their furniture and other household appliances.
Most people spend the actual Christmas Day at their homes with relatives and friends.
Christmas Food in Trinidad and Tobago
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.
‘Ole years night,’ is the term that Trinidadians use to refer to the New Year’s Eve, and they delight in it by firing off fireworks in celebration of the brand new year!
Learn More With the Help of Video
Main Points About Christmas in Trinidad and Tobago
- With Christmas preparations beginning from mid- December; Christmas is more of a social event than it is a religious event in Trinidad and Tobago.
- On Christmas eve, some families may choose to go to church. While on Christmas day both children and adults go from house to house collecting food and drinks.
- In anticipation of the festivity, some people often either renovate their houses or deep clean.
- Caroling (parang) is very common; groups go from neighborhood to neighborhood serenading houses with drums, guitars, horns, tambourines, and any other musical instrument capable of producing sounds.
- The Trinidad and Tobago Christmas season is often filled with parties and other social events.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Christmas in Trinidad and Tobago
Conclusion
The pictures I shared above about the Christmas carols and Christmas food tell the story about how people celebrate Christmas. They are not drawn towards making a lot of purchases during Xmas but instead it is more spiritual Christmas for them.
If you have been to Trinidad and Tobago on Christmas or stay in Trinidad and Tobago then do share your first-hand experience in the comments below.
Word Cloud for Christmas in Trinidad and Tobago
The following is a collection of the most used terms in this article on Christmas in Trinidad and Tobago. This should help in recalling related terms as used in this article at a later stage for you.
References
- https://www.destinationtnt.com/blog/the-best-destinations-in-trinidad-to-get-into-the-spirit-of-christmas/
- https://www.destinationtnt.com/blog/trini-christmas-foods/
- https://www.travelagentcentral.com/destinations/celebrate-christmas-trinidad-and-tobago
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