Christmas rush is on

Now that Christmas is actually upon us it seems as though Tobagonians have finally caught the “bug.”

Christmas “wares” have been laid out in abundance in the stores and on the streets of downtown Scarborough, Tobago’s shopping hub, for several weeks now, but the capital has only now come to life. Although the island’s business community agrees that “things had started off a bit slow,” businessmen were not at all in a state of panic since, as they note, “it is typical for Tobagonians to wait until the last minute to shop.” They explained that it has become tradition for Tobagonians to put off their grocery and gift shopping until the last two days before Christmas. Then the capital becomes a mad rush with shoppers looking for bargains or the ideal gift. It is also traditional for Tobagonians to journey to the sister isle to “catch up on the bargains,” especially for curtains.

However, manager of the Phillips Fabric Centre, Burnette Hill, said that sales this year have not been affected by this as in previous years as they had “stocked up” since October. “We have learnt to work around it. We began selling Christmas items since in October and we are offering our own bargains so people don’t really have to go to Trinidad. They can also get different patterns and styles because this time, we ordered our stuff from Panama,” she explained. Traditional also is “out with the old furniture, in with the new” theory. Unlike the gift shops, furniture stores have been kept quite busy with orders and delivery vans, piled high with furniture, are seen working around the clock to deliver the items by Christmas day. “The store is full everyday with people complaining that we need more sales clerks. Last week the warehouse was full, you should see it now, everything is gone.”

Manager of Courts Tobago Judy Bobb told Newsday. “Tobagonians always want new things for Christmas. “Even if it just for the Christmas season and you should see the anxiety on their faces if there are any delays.” By Christmas Eve, the painting, scrubbing, baking and shopping are over with and all that is left to do is to “put away the house,” normally done in the wee hours of Christmas morning. However, a Tobago Christmas will never be complete without one final tradition. Paranging by friends, neighbours and even enemies from Christmas Eve night into Christmas morning because during this season, peace, joy and goodwill reigns.