I LOVE T&T. This is probably the only country in the world that where the Christian population is a minority, just about everybody celebrates Christmas. Down here in this, the Southernmost island in the Caribbean, even people who are not Christians put up a Christmas tree in their homes and go to Christmas parties and indulge in other Christmas pastimes. (not to mention the delicious traditional Christmas foods). For the record, there is a very large number of Hindus and Moslems down here, but in all my years I have never met one Trinbagonian that doesn't celebrate Christmas in one way or the other - and in a country where some 55 percent of the population is not Christian! If the tolerance that we have for others (especially at this time of the year) was universal, the world, would be a much happier place.
Even in the hardest times there is still a certain "joi de vivre" and excitement in the country that is palpable and which seems to grow the closer we get to the big day. That a lot of people who are not Christian pay little attention (if any) to the religious aspects and overtones of Christmas is a given. But if I might suggest, the spirit of Christmas is much bigger than whether you believe or not that Jesus was born on the 25th December or that he was/is the Son of God, but has more to do with love and tolerance.
And that's what I love about this place - the Spirit of Christmas that is celebrated by just about everybody! Despite the best efforts of some politicians on both sides of the political fence who try to divide the country racially, the fact is that most people in this country are very tolerant of others and are even more so in this Christmas season. And this is what is so important!
Can life be hard for some - especially down here in T&T? Absolutely! But that still doesn't stop the excess of goodwill that is so abundant down here. Merry Christmas, everybody. And I wish you all that you desire in the coming new year.
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