| Christmas, no matter how it is celebrated, brings | | | | Celebrating Christmas day in Jamaica is a whole-day |
| together family and friends to celebrate Christ's birth. | | | | feast starting with ackee, salted fish, breadfruit, fried |
| Being predominantly Christian, Jamaica celebrates | | | | and boiled bananas, fresh fruit juice, and tea. Because |
| Christ's birth and lends its own distinct flavor to | | | | of the hearty breakfast which can go on until before |
| Christmas. | | | | lunch, Christmas dinners are served in the early |
| Traditional Christmas carols are also sung in the | | | | afternoon. Roasted chicken or duck, stewed ox tail, |
| tropical islands in the same way these are sung in | | | | goat curry, ham, rice, and peas are the usual |
| almost all countries. Yet to give it a Jamaican flair, a | | | | offerings. |
| lot of the popular Christmas carols are re-recorded in | | | | Johnkano celebrations, a pagan ritual introduced by |
| reggae rhythm. Reggae versions of popular Christmas | | | | African slaves that highlight masked dancers and |
| carols are now acquiring popularity the world over. | | | | musicians are also celebrated in some of Jamaica's |
| Perhaps the most important sign that marks the | | | | rural areas. A lot of houses are painted, and |
| Christmas season in Jamaica would be the food. | | | | homeowners hang new curtains and western |
| Bakers and homemakers start baking Christmas fruit | | | | Christmas decorations such as wreaths, tinsel, and |
| cakes using mixed fruits marinated in wine months in | | | | Christmas lights. Santa Claus, a western Christmas |
| advance, and rum made from locally grown sugar | | | | concept, also adorns houses and shop windows. This |
| cane. Sorrel, Jamaica's Christmas drink, is also | | | | is despite the fact that Jamaican houses do not have |
| prepared using sorrel sepal, cinnamon, cloves, sugar, | | | | chimneys where Santa usually descends! In some |
| orange peel, and white rum. Served over ice, sorrel is | | | | rural communities, Santa Claus delivers his gifts riding |
| served all over Jamaica during the Christmas season. | | | | a cart pulled by donkeys. |