At Christmas I no more desire a rose,

Than wish a snow

In May’s new fangled mirth,

But like of each thing

That in season grows.

— Shakespeare

Christmas is a season that I really like from as far back as my childhood days and even up to now where I have seen many moons, as the old Indians of cowboy movies used to say. But just like how those movies have come and gone, so will Christmas Day.

Many of us geared up not only for that special day, but for the entire season, for we know that in Jamaica Christmas Day lasts all of two weeks.

First there is the week leading up to Christmas Day, then there is the week after Christmas Day, making it two full weeks of pleasantries, for shopping, family, friends and all the nice things that go with this season.

Did I say two weeks? I stand corrected, as for many people, Christmas started from long time ago, as they geared up to not only have fun, but to make some money while doing so. It’s a very special time for the merchants, for making that sale is of paramount importance, and for many, it’s the biggest time of the year for them.

Christmas may not be every day, for as the old saying goes, ‘Every day is not Chrissmus,’ but many of us try to stretch it for days and days. But it’s not all fun and games, for Christmas also has its fair share of crosses as we’ll see, right after these responses to ‘Older men’s misery’.

Hi Tony,

I cannot dispute what you have stated about most old men. Being old myself however, I do not experience misery. I am not married to a young woman, but to a woman of the same age as myself. I have no young children to look after and I don’t pretend to be young. I will say that while my thinking is youngish, my old body reminds me that I am old.

Charles

Teerob,

I must confess that I am one of those older men that you wrote about, and I do fall under the category of having to care for young children. Don’t get me wrong, I love my kids dearly, but the stress of having to constantly cater to them does take its toll on me. I really do try, but as the old saying goes, ‘The old gray mare just ain’t what it used to be.’ Age really is a factor, and I feel guilty for being such an old daddy who can’t run up and down with them for long.

Victor

After Christmas Day, all that we anticipated would have come and gone. The presents unwrapped, the food and liquor consumed, the family gatherings enjoyed, the friends met, and a good time had by all. This continues. Well, not for everyone, for during this festive season, there are many who simply did not have a wonderful time.

Many who are less fortunate get no presents, drink no wine, rum or beer, and have no special dinner. For some people, Christmas Day only brings crosses. But I’m not going to get maudlin or morose in this festive season, but focus on the milder crosses that many of us can deal with…hopefully.

One of these is that of having to juggle relationships in this Christmas season. This can be challenging. Mark you, the advent of COVID has made it a bit easier for some men to curtail their romantic exploits, for the virus provides a ready-made excuse. For others, it’s a downright deterrent, for the curfew measures put a damper on their movements.

“What a crosses, I have to be home by 10 o’clock every night, at least it better than 8 o’clock though.”

Yes, the relaxation of the curfew that has provided that extra two hours of opportunity has certainly given some men a fillip to have fun. For a professional juggler though, it’s still crosses. Women on the side, the mistress, side chick, matey, other woman, experience extreme crosses also at Christmas, and this year is no different. Many eat alone, as ‘their man’ has to be with his wife and family, or with the number one woman in his life.

One thing about Christmas Day is, you certainly know exactly where you stand as far as the man is concerned. If he spends the day with you, then rest assured that you are his number one priority. But if he’s gone AWOL, missing in action, cut and run, then rest assured that you are way down on his list of priorities.

Christmas Day is a defining day in relationships, and many damsels are distressed as they spend their day all alone eating KFC.

“What a crosses tek mi pon Christmas Day, me one siddung suh in the house watching Lifetime and Hallmark TV.”

One huge crosses at Christmas, though, is the excessive spending of money, sometimes money that you haven’t got. True, the Bank of Jamaica predicted that the amount in circulation wouldn’t be as great as former years, but the figures are not yet fully tabulated, so we wait and see.

Regardless of the amount spent, Christmastime is a very expensive time for many people, especially those with large families and children. Those little ones are catered to at this time, and most Jamaicans indulge their children immensely.

No matter how things are thin, the kids have to get something, regardless of how small it is. Even purchasing the most inexpensive gift can add up to a tidy sum, but just to see the look of enjoyment on the faces of the youngsters is worth it. This is only countered by the look of worries on the faces of the parents, as they tabulate the expenses of buying toys, clothes, food, even as the bills loom in the back of their minds.

That’s right, the biggest crosses at this time are the never-ending bills that are omnipresent like the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. Even with the merriment and festivities, that dark cloud of utility bills looms over the heads of people, dangling like the sword of Damocles, held up precariously by a thin horse hair that can break at any moment.

But unlike the sword of Damocles that may or may not fall, the utility bills all rain down at this time, Christmas or no Christmas, and they come fast, hard, and furious. That’s the real crosses at Christmas.

They say in life that timing is everything, and the worst time for bills to come is at this time. Christmas comes at the end of the month, and so do the bills. Jamaica Public Service (JPS), water, cable, phone, all fall within a few days of Christmas. So even as you spend for that special day, you have to put aside money for the confounded bills.

Shouldn’t there be some sort of moratorium where bills are suspended or postponed during this festive season? Cho man, do better than that. And to compound matters, to add insult to injury, JPS announced that consumers are to brace for higher electricity bills due to higher fuel prices and blah, blah, blah.

Even if fuel prices hit rock bottom, JPS would still find some way to increase light bill at this time of year. I’m still reeling from the chart that I saw a few weeks ago that showed that Jamaica is ranked in the top five of high electricity bills in the world. That’s our current Christmas crosses, and it’s shocking.

So after all the merriment has come and gone, the harsh reality of life after Christmas is ever present in our minds. Eat, drink, be merry, for tomorrow the money will fly. That’s just the harsh reality of the Christmas crosses. But guess what? we are a resilient people, and we know how to enjoy ourselves and still manage to make ends meet.

Christmas is still the time that we enjoy the most, regardless of your religion, race or creed. It’s the time when our people show our ‘good side’, our sense of charity, our compassion. No other season brings this out.

Christmas will come and go, and true, crosses there are many, but life goes on and most of s managed to have a good time. Right now the biggest crosses of all seems to be this awful virus that keeps on moving the goalpost and keeps the scientists extremely busy trying to counteract the mutations.

We cannot relax, cannot let our guards down, for COVID still a keep. So as the year draws to a close, and the crosses with it, a new year dawns, and with it, unknown crosses. We have to meet them head on.

More time.

seido1yard@gmail.com

Footnote: The way how we treat people is so important, as it impacts not only the person receiving the treatment, but others as well. My late father, MG Robinson, was a pioneer in broadcasting in this country, being a foundation engineer at Radio Jamaica and JBC. Over the years I have benefited from the way how he treated people who interfaced with him. The common phrase was “You are MGs son, I have to help you, young man.” Up to last week, a lady recognised me and said to me, “Your father helped me so much early in my career and then when he was at the credit union, to get my mortgage.” I felt so good to know that his legacy still lives and I benefit from it. The good that you do really lingers long after you have gone.