Christmas in Jamaica: Celebrations on the Beach

If you're looking for a warm Christmas holiday destination, look no further than Jamaica!

From reggae renditions of classic Christmas carols to their own version of The Grinch, Jamaicans celebrate the holiday in several of their own unique ways. They wear their "Sunday's best" outfits to attend church service in the morning, then head over to do their last-minute gift shopping at the Grand Market, which remains open from Christmas Eve until Christmas morning. Homes are decorated with bright red poinsettias and Christmas trees, and the dinner table is set with delicious Jamaican cuisine, including oxtail, sorrel wine, and "black cake," their traditional Christmas fruit pudding cake.

Christmas celebrations don't end after Christmas day, though! Between December 26th and January 1st, the long-standing Jamaican folk festival called Junkanoo takes place. Locals dress in costumes and masks representing various African origins and parade around the streets throughout the island. The costumed characters that appear in the parade are reminiscent of The Grinch. Performers often interact with people throughout the parade, and even give candies and toys to children!

Jamaica is warm year-round, and the Christmas season is no exception. So if you hate the cold but love Christmas, the beautiful island just might be the perfect place to celebrate!