“…It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas;

Soon the bells will start.

And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing

Right within your heart…”

— It’s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas, Meredith Wilson (1951)

As the festive season looms, its arrival can evoke fond memories or invoke heightened anticipation for those who adore this time of year. SO asked some known names in social, business, and entertainment circles to share with us their favourite things about Christmas, and with thoughts aflutter for the approaching holiday, they warmly obliged us with their replies.

“My mother’s Christmas cake… Christmas carols and the smell of Christmas dinner cooking.”

— Alaine, singer

“OMG, Christmas is by far my favourite part of my life (lol)! Every Christmas morning, my mum makes fresh tangerine juice and we have Christmas breakfast on the lawn.”

— Krystal Chong, Director of Honey Bun Bakery

“My favourite thing about Christmas is it’s the only time of year I get to truly relax and spend time with my children and family. I come from a very large family and most of them are busy year-round, or are all over the place, but everybody is usually reunited for the holidays.”

— Gassan Azan, Chief Executive Officer, MegaMart and Bashco

“Last Christmas was my favourite — spending it with my wife Jodi and my newborn daughter, Mia.”

— Scott Dunn, Director, Dream Entertainment Limited; Insurance Consultant, Allied Insurance Brokers

“My favourite thing about Christmas is that my closest friends who have migrated all come home to Jamaica for the holidays. I also enjoy shopping for and giving gifts to persons who were really looking forward to what they received. And of course, there are the events: I love having somewhere to get dressed up for.”

— Tiffany Lue Yen, photographer

“My mother’s lobster salad, which she makes every Christmas.”

— Donahue Jarrett, hotelier/singer

“My favourite Christmas memory is of my dad giving my brothers, my cousins and me ‘crisp’ money (like they were just printed), which we used to buy firecrackers and gifts for everyone. Back then, the plazas were so packed with people… it was lots of fun!”

— Ali Lue, fashion designer

“My favourite memory of Christmas is my parents giving me money to buy presents for my friends and family, and every year I’d end up not only buying all the gifts for myself, but I’d wrap them, put them under the tree and open them all before Christmas morning. Then I’d rewrap them, along with my old toys so that I’d have more gifts than my older sister Stacey. And I’d be sad on Christmas day because I had no new presents. Now my family won’t put my gifts under the tree until Christmas morning, because I still do it!!!”

— Bianca Bartley, jewellery designer

“The last time my grandpa was with us while our family opened presents together is my favourite memory. He explained to me, after seeing my disappointment at not receiving the biggest present, that the best things come in small packages. He was right: it was my first gold chain.”

— Peter Moodie Jr, CEO, NGRacing; General Manager, BD Gregg and Bros Ltd.

“The weather, my busy schedule (smile) … Christmas dinner by Aunt Dorothy, especially the custard she makes. And, oh! Spending Grand Market night with Daddy at the gas station (lol).”

— Timberlee, dancehall belle du jour

“My favourite memory is driving into the hills, up to Bellas Gate on Christmas morning, for ol’ time Christmas — cocoa tea made with cocoa from the farm — it’s what people call ‘chawklit’ — ham, rice and peas and chicken, sorrel, nuff family and nuff Christmas breeze.”

— Dylan Coke, Attorney-at-law, Assistant Vice-President, NCB Capital Markets Limited.

“I guess, because I’m a real foodie, I actually look forward to baking and planning the Christmas menu — and cooking. I love visitors stopping by, and getting the entire family together. I also like to go all-out with Christmas décor.”

— Shikima Hinds, Co-director and founder of Island Bride Jamaica

(1) Food — ham, Christmas cake and sorrel, in particular; (2) Family — and close friends from near and far, relaxing, hanging out, and so on; (3) The social events — lymes, parties… I love Christmastime!”

— Sandor Panton, Internet marketing specialist and owner of Jamaican search portal www.top5jamaica.com

“Staying up all night on Christmas Eve back in the days when JBC stayed on all night on those special holidays, with my brother and cousins, staying up waiting on Santa to arrive… and my grandmother’s eggnog!

— Aiesha Panton, Event Stylist, Pussbackfoot

“The food… and playing games on the lawn with my family at our annual Christmas cookout.”

— Tifa, dancehall diva

“Mummy making Christmas cake, so that my brother and I could have individual cakes and not eat the Christmas cake for the family. The cake is one of my best memories, since we would sit patiently, waiting for our own cake.”

— Kim-Marie Spence, Film Commissioner and Manager, Creative Industries, JAMPRO

“Christmas Eve dinner with my family. And we all get five minutes behind the pulpit in the living room, to talk about whatever we want before we open presents. Then, on Christmas morning, we open our stockings while sipping hot chocolate and watching parades… and my dad makes macaroni and corn with chipotles! Ridiculous, I know, and I’m from Nebraska! But, I guess I was always a New Yorker at heart.

— Tabitha Athey, WISYNCO exec

“Definitely the cool breeze … and the joy of sharing moments with my family, especially for get-togethers where I don’t have to be preparing anything.”

— Jacqui Tyson, Director, From Thought to Finish

“I love spending Christmas with my parents; my mother is 84 and my father, 85. He was gravely ill earlier this year but has now recovered so I’m really fortunate and looking forward to spending time with him.”

— Althea Laing, trailblazing Jamaican model and educator

“The togetherness the season promotes. People always tend to show more love and smile much more during this time of year. That’s what I love most of all.”

— Sheldon Shepherd, actor/performance artist No Maddz

“Eggnog with a bit of Hennessy Paradis (for the flavour, of course), giving gifts and seeing the smiles on the faces of those people who mean so much to me. Christmas, for me, is a time to reflect on how truly blessed I have been over the years and having such a supportive family with whom I can kick back and share this special time of year. I look forward to having downtime and, of course, snow (which means I can snowboard) and also having the opportunity to just relax with friends.”

— Rockmond Dunbar, actor

“My favourite parts of Christmas, as silly as it sounds, are seeing all the twinkling lights of the homes, hearing the carols on the radio and just feeling that sense of joie de vivre everyone seems to have during the holidays. I have always been a “Christmassy” type of person, the one who puts in the Nat King Cole, and of course, the Salsoul Orchestra CDs, strings up lights and shops for personalised gifts. This Christmas I look forward to being who the people that mean the most to me and enjoying all of life’s blessings… Oh! And ham… lots of ham.”

— Tara Playfair-Scott, LIME marketer

“The chance to see and spend quality time with my family is definitely my favourite thing about Christmas.”

— Cathrine Kennedy, Strategy and Governance Manager, Allied Insurance Brokers

“At this age you don’t really enjoy Christmas anymore. I’m not saying I’m the Grinch or anything, but I like to spend the holidays at Bellevue Hospital where my friends and I go to share with the less fortunate. And, of course, I love to have Christmas dinner with my family.”

— Brian ‘Ribbie’ Chung, Director, Nite Time Promotions