As Christmas draws ever closer, the prospect of a merry family holiday in some parts of the world is looking increasingly bleak.
With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, clearly, the 2020 holiday season will be unlike any other in modern history.
Though authorities have yet to confirm or deny any restrictions on or around the Christmas Holiday, theories abound.
In this edition of Zòwèy a tè, Dominica News Online (DNO), asked a random selection of respondents for their views on the Christmas season in general, and whether or not some COVID-19 related restrictions should be imposed around the holidays.
Charles (Cochrane)– “Well, to tell you the truth, Christmas this year really dread with Covid. The place slow and money slow so I personally, don’t think that a lock down is needed. Allow the business people who suffered all year to make a little money because we know that is the peak season for most of them. We didn’t have creole festival or nothing this year so I don’t think they should kill the Christmas vibes with a curfew.
Melisa ( Bath Estate)– “My Christmas is going great because I know the meaning of the occasion so Covid-19 can’t stop me from celebrating. For Christmas eve, I don’t think we need a curfew, I just believe there should be Police Officers around town guarding the movements because some people will try to spoil the fun for all of us.”
Ahmad (Marigot) – “Over the years Christmas has been dying because the economy so slow, so we can’t even blame Corona. We use to have Christmas carols before, nobody not doing that and I understand it’s Covid time but we finding ways to do everything else, we can find a way to lively up the Christmas. I don’t agree to a lockdown, the health officials say they have the virus under control, so we should just use our masks on shopping day and be safe.”
Phillip (Point Michel) – “I’m not much of a Christmas lover because I think that’s a season for children so to me I see December as any other regular month. The police will be looking for problem if they issue a curfew. Whole month promenade swinging so if they want to show us the public who really running the police force, they will put lock down for once set and not the other.
Charisma (Roseau) – “This Christmas season has not been the same as any other, not even the one after Hurricane Maria. But then again, this year has been unimaginable. I certainly do believe with all of what’s going on that the Christmas season has died. I’m also in huge favor of the curfew. We never know who may have the virus, who came in back door, plus so much more. Like my grandmother, God rest her soul, would always say, precautions is better than cure.”
Patriot (Salisbury)– The grinch stole Christmas and that grinch is Skerrit. The man have the country suffering so no way we the poor people can enjoy Christmas. And we all know they won’t put a curfew because his friends from Astaphans and China man won’t approve, because they need to make their money shopping night.”
Tony (Dublanc) – “We seem to have forgotten what Christmas is all about. If there are persons who are not feeling jolly after all we want through this year, then he or she needs to have a talk with God. For the curfew part, yes we should lock down because I see this being nothing but a mini carnival around town.”
Annel (Castle Bruce)– “My Christmas going good. Only now the place start to pick up itself so I liking the scene. Well we don’t have carnival next year and the year was basically boring so I doh think we need no curfew. Allow people to free up from all that lock down and Covid stress we come out under.
Wayne (Roseau)– “This year I’ve seen the country brighter than any other year. So you can’t help but feel the Christmas season. I don’t see the need for a curfew; whole year we’re inside let the people breathe.”
LeBlanc (Canfield)– “The season is great so far. I made it to the end of 2020 alive so I’m happy for that. As it relates to the curfew I don’t think one is needed I just think the business places need to establish some type of system because on the shopping day there will be too much rushing and everywhere will be packed.
Marissa (Wall house)– “So far so good for the Christmas season. Well I think no curfew should be in place. People don’t really come Roseau to shop on Christmas Eve that’s more for the kids to enjoy so that shouldn’t be taken away from them after that stressful year we had.”
Christel (Mero)– “Christmas used to be my favorite holiday but this year, I’m feeling a sense of loss. But we are hearing talks of vaccines on the way. I am also feeling cautiously optimistic. Although I don’t think we should have a curfew imposed around the holiday, I do however believe that the hours for shopping day should be reduced because may not following the warnings given and we may cause more harm that good going into 2021.”
For years dca has never really had a Christmas spirit. And that basically started 15 years ago when elections were first held in the months leading up to Christmas. And that killed the spirit in dca. You have the prominade swinging with jam where only one set making the money ( I doh need to call names ) and spreading covid round ( we kno it on island ,they not even bothering to test in villages cause they scared what they will find ) and then carnival when hundreds of people round the island make money from renting accommodation to sales of products and activities planned. So it’s ok to have jam on the prominade with mass gathering ,no SD ,not a mask in site and over 1000 people there. And then the people being punished. No tourism no money. But throw the people a little scraps of the table ( duty free barrel for people ) my nation need to open there eyes and start doing citizens arrests on the wicked set of leaders we have there
It does not matter to me, what the World thinks, but from a long time ago, I came to understand that Christmas is nothing more than the End of Year Celebration and the best celebration ever, is the gathering of the family/families, however these groups can afford to make themselves merry.
It is true that I grew in the days when Jesus was added to that celebration, even until today–people believing that, that celebration was His birthday
But the revelation, wisdom, and understanding from God’s Holy Spirit, when I became a “born again” Christian gave me the knowledge that the entry of Jesus into this World in the form a man, is a mystery that no man should understand or know, especially the fact that this conception happened in a woman who was a virgin–there is no explanation to that,
–Jesus is the Christ–the Person of God Almighty, Eternal Spirit, in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–the God who created man cannot be born through His own creation.
At John chapter 8 Jesus was in a contention with a lot about Abraham in the debate. Here is what is said at verses 56-58:
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
Abraham had left his body hundreds and hundreds of years before Jesus walked the Earth, but He tells us He was before Abraham
Apostle John wrote at the beginning of the first chapter of His Gospel:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made could be made.
4 In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men.
Jesus’ own words: “I am in the Father and the Father is in Me” Father and Son are One God is Spirit–who cannot have a “birth date” that man should know
Zowey a te (ear to the ground): Should the thousands of unemployed families receive some form of a stimulus package?
Lionheart (Calisbury) – YES! With billions of dollars from the sale of our passports this should be no problem. Only a leader with a depraved indifference to the survival of the poor and down trodden would deny them any assistance at this Christmas Season, a time of LOVE, CARING and GIVING.