Succulent pigs roasting on an open spitfire. Warm wind brushing against your nose. Yuletide carols being “marched” by a choir. And folks dressed up in their best church clothes.
Perhaps Nat King Cole may have sung “The Christmas Song” with those lyrics had he lived in ole time Cayman: where sand replaced snow; casuarinas, otherwise known as Australian pine trees (yellow shamrock trees in Cayman Brac’s case) replaced Scotch pines; and instead of battling winter snowstorms, sailors young and old battled the high seas to get home to their loved ones in time for Christmas Day. No less joyful, no less festive than other countries that celebrate this holiday, it was a special time that came with its very own traditions — many of which still stand strong today.
While not every country is lucky enough to enjoy a White Christmas, it has never stopped Caymanians from creating their own version of yuletide paradise. One of the more notable traditions came in the form of “sand yards.” Thought to have been started by the early Scottish immigrants who missed the snow of their motherland, it evolved over time, and was affectionately referred to as “backing sand.” Liz Walton, born and raised in Cayman Brac, fondly remembers this tradition as a child in the 1960s. “It was a community activity filled with friendly competition among neighbours; it was all about who could have the best and prettiest yard filled with sand. Most people, from the youngest to the oldest, would go to the beach to find the nicest, whitest sand, and one way of assessing the competition was to see who had the biggest hole at the beach.”
During the weeks leading up to Christmas (and sometimes as early as late fall) a group of mostly women and children would travel merrily back and forth to the nearest beach on moonlit nights and continue right up to the night of the last full moon before Christmas Day. According to Walton, there were two reasons for this, “Firstly, there were no lights on the road, so it would help us see where we were going, and, secondly, it was cooler at night.” Using handmade thatched baskets with long strap handles, they would scoop the sand up and balance the heavy baskets either on their foreheads or with the straps around their foreheads with the weight of the baskets nestled on their backs, at which point they would proceed back to their yard and divide the sand into even piles; but it wasn’t until the morning of Christmas Eve that they would sweep the sand smoothly to make a snow-white yard.
To add to the anticipation, children had to wait until Christmas Day before they could begin playing in it. To accompany these pretty yards, the men would create a footpath of gravel lined with freshly collected conch shells from the gate right to the front door. The conch shells’ soft shades of pinks and yellows coupled with the bright hues of the various flowers in bloom (blossom trees, for example) made for a truly festive sight. A fun-filled labour of love without costing a penny, these yards brought great joy and can still be seen today — just take a drive around, and you may just spot a few old Caymanian houses displaying their sand yards proudly and beautifully.
Another tradition that began two or three weeks before Christmas was the act of “marching.” Groups of people would gather to sing Christmas carols as well as the popular songs of the day and stroll from door to door throughout their districts. Often covering long distances, some also played instruments like the accordion, guitar and drums, and when they needed a rest, they’d stop at a home for a drink or a bite to eat. There were also the famous “kitchen parties” where the sound of music, chatter and dancing could be heard flowing from inside — almost as much as the rum.
As for decorations, they were made from nature; pine cones from the casuarinas would be covered in foil and hung as tree ornaments, and the wild roseberry bush, also indigenous to Cayman, would be gathered, cut and dried and then placed throughout the home. Flowers of the season would be placed throughout the house to add colour and charm. As for dear ole Saint Nick, he didn’t make an appearance until around 1900, when seamen brought home the tradition from their voyages to other parts of the world. Santa Claus did not arrive by sleigh, of course, but by boat or by plane, and although there were no fireplaces for him to come through, children placed their stockings at the foot of their parents’ bed. When they woke up in the morning, they would find treats of candies, apples, noisemakers, firecrackers and other things they loved.
And there was the food, always lots and lots of food, because eating was a huge part of the holidays. Although turkeys were practically unheard of, turtles were plentiful, and pigs, too, would be roasted on a spitfire; there was also extra butchering of beef, which was considered a special treat. In fact, this was the one time of the year when families splurged on beef; even though they would not be able to afford it all year round, they would save money so that it could be part of their Christmas dinner, and it would often be bought as a present for the family. According to Aarona Booker Kohlman’s book Under Tin Roofs: Cayman in the 1920s, many rich and flavourful stews were made from both types of meat (turtle and beef): chunks of cassava, yam, coco, plantain or pumpkin were seasoned to perfection with hot peppers and other herbs. Of course, what would Christmas be without the sweets? Women often spent days preparing rich, dark, rum-laced fruitcakes and heavy cakes as well as sorrel wines (taken from the sorrel plant, it is a sweetened hot drink, sipped like a hot cider).
Children had their very own, unique cooking practises as well, and were not left out of the fun. Whereas children from other parts of the world may have baked packaged Angel-food cakes with their Betty Crocker ovens, parents in Cayman would build a mini-hut out of thatch in the yard that acted as the children’s Christmas house. Just like their mothers, they, too, would cook and bake their own food creations, albeit, with their imaginations. (No doubt, it was also a great way to keep them occupied and out of their mother’s kitchen.)
Cake sales and church bazaars were considered an important tradition because they were a great way to raise money for the churches. Handmade gifts like crocheted sisal hats and purses were also sold at these bazaars. Local shops were also busy selling hats, shoes and clothes, as well as material to make new clothes. Christmas was a time for new apparel, especially since there was no distinct change of seasons. As Kohlman wrote: “In Cayman, it was the Christmas Parade rather than the Easter Parade, as everyone walked to church, the girls and women in new hats, new shoes, and new dresses. Until adolescence, boys wore knee pants, so when a boy finally got his first long pants, it was often at Christmas, and men sported new white suits, made by local seamstresses.” All the churches on the islands organised concerts so that children could take part; and the children were expected to memorise Christmas poems and recite them. Of course, the main focus of Christmas was centred on the church since Caymanians come from a strong Christian background, and everyone attended the special Christmas morning service. This still holds true for many today.
So although time continues marching on, the memories of a bygone era remain in many people’s hearts and minds; they are traditions that have been passed down through many generations, and although some may remain, others have been put to rest. One thing is for certain: The strong Caymanian spirit lives on each and every Christmas, nestled somewhere between the blazing sun, the Caribbean sea, the willowy pine trees and miles of snow-white sand.
The Speaker of the House talks about her own Christmas traditions
Lisa Boushy recently sat down with Mary Lawrence JP, the newly elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands, to learn about her own Christmas traditions from the past. Here is her story:
Christmas in Cayman was a time of family fun and reunions and great community fellowship. Preparations started early in the year. Social activities in the community revolved around the church and school, and practises for special concerts and choirs were well under way by October. Small children were given a part to learn, whether a poem, a skit or a part in a play, and practising in the evenings became a big social event. To not know your part was a disgrace, for the whole town came to hear you, not just your parents or family.
Material for your special Christmas dress or suit was secured and hand-sewn, although there were those who had a relative abroad and could afford to order from a catalogue like Montgomery Ward & Co., National Bellas Hess or Walter Field. This method became more prevalent with the men going out to sea. Christmas was a time, too, when the men came home from sea with suitcases filled with all kinds of presents, and family members living abroad would visit. Those who couldn’t come often mailed packages or sent gifts with others who came. Crowds would meet the boats that came into George Town harbour just to see whose family members had made it home, and of course, even if yours didn’t make it, they all shared in the joy of each arrival.
On Christmas Eve, all good children went to bed early in anticipation of Santa’s arrival. On Christmas morning your stocking would yield goodies like apples, pencils, ribbons or barrettes for your hair, candies, crackerjacks or even small toys or dolls. Of course, weeks prior, it was impressed on every child to be good if they expected Santa to visit their house. The excitement of the morning was topped off by everyone dressing in their Christmas finery and going to church. The Christmas morning service is still a part of the Bodden Town traditions, and whole families turn up to fill the church pews.
As a family we would add our own traditions. The children would put on in-house concerts and include selected family friends, making up their own programmes and performances. Practising was done in secret until the big night. On Christmas Eve, my husband and children would take off to select and cut the Christmas tree — an Australian pine sapling, or “willow tree,” as we call it locally. They would return and spend the day setting it up and decorating it with homemade decorations. This would give me a chance to get the cooking done, because in keeping with Caymanian tradition, no one was going to waste time cooking on Christmas Day.
On Christmas Eve we would take them to George Town, which had electricity and where the stores stayed open until midnight, to window shop and join in the fun of meeting friends and sharing the excitement that seemed to fill every nook and cranny, as firecrackers went off everywhere, and sparklers lit the night sky. Christmas morning under the tree would be crowded with “Santa bags,” which were big brown paper shopping bags filled with presents with each child’s name on them.
Although I have joined my children abroad for family gatherings in recent years, I still set up the Christmas tree and come home in time to have an open house, and attend the midnight service that heralds in the New Year. More recent traditions in the town have included the lighting of Guard House Hill at the entrance to the town and a special carol service in which the whole community is invited to participate, followed by a special meal and gifts for all. The idea came out of the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan when spirits were low and much of the community was still without electricity. This past year we moved the venue to the Senior Citizen’s Centre in Bodden Town and Harry McCoy’s Park, where we will continue this newest tradition in the community.
Born and raised in Bodden Town, Mary Lawrence has made a significant contribution to the development of government and politics and has been heavily involved with community service for many years. She is a justice of the peace and has also worked as a teacher, writer, and government and political editor. Together with her late husband, James Lawrence, they raised five daughters and one son. She is also a grandmother to 19 grandchildren and a great-grandmother of four.
Some Christmas Traditions of Present-Day Cayman
Central Caribbean Marine Institute
Festival of Trees Showcase
Gardenia Court, Camana Bay
Nov. 17–20
Christmas Tree Lighting
Complete with carols and visits from Santa
The Crescent, Camana Bay
Nov. 24
Christmas Evening Market
Camana Bay partners with The Grounds to sell locally produced fruits and vegetables, food, baked goods and arts and crafts
Dec. 2
Teddy Bear Tea
Silver Palm Lounge, The Ritz-Carlton,
Grand Cayman
Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5–20;
Dec. 23, 24
Noon–4 p.m. (seatings are at noon and 2 p.m.)
Cayman 27 Parade of Lights
The Crescent, Camana Bay
Dec. 12
Classic Christmas Movies
Periwinkle restaurant, The Ritz-Carlton,
Grand Cayman
Beginning at sundown, family Christmas movies are projected nightly on a large movie screen under the stars. For additional information and movie schedules, call (345) 943-9000.
Champagne Brunch
7, The Oceanfront Restaurant, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman
Sundays in December, noon to 3 p.m.
To make reservations, please call (345) 943-9000
Source: caymanairwaysmagazine.com