COVID-19 dampens festivities, but not Christmas spirit in Mavis Bank

Like anywhere in Jamaica, Christmas is a time when Mavis Bank is usually abuzz with activities, but this year, by all accounts from residents, will be very different because of COVID-19.

Damario Brown, 12, a student of Mavis Bank High School, told The Gleaner that he usually looks forward to travelling to town to buy gifts at Sovereign Centre.

He said, “This time of year I would buy gift for my mother. I enjoy put up Christmas tree and put up light and go out and look bush. Also, to go Christmas party and win prize.”

In light of the coronavirus, and the restrictions, he says he intends to just play music at home. Brown told The Gleaner that he would like a minibike for Christmas to help him move around the community.

The season is associated with traditional dishes; however, when it comes on to food, he is not looking forward to eating ham.

“I want fish and pork, no ham; mi nuh eat ham, but mi nuh Rasta”, he said.

David Beckford operates a restaurant in the community, and he recalled the Christmas celebrations in the previous years.

Beckford said, “You use to have a lot of Christmas parties but through the COVID-19, you know it won’t be like the norm. But some people still do dem thing and try maintain the protocols.”

He said the business he used to get from the travelling public, some who visit from overseas, has dried up.

He said, “Everybody usually have dem family dem weh fly in. This year we might nah go mingle wid the foreign set of family dem weh nah go travel, so that out now. Now is the time, if the road never cut off, you would see people a pass wid fandangles and pick up dem barrel and things like that, a travel to and from wharf.

The breakaway at Gordon Town Road allows for the alternative road to be utilised, but because of the distance it will cost residents up to three times the usual cost to travel with load.

Beckford is the go-to chef in the community and says Christmas is usually a busy period in the kitchen, but not so this year.

He told The Gleaner, “This (his restaurant) in its second year ... . In December mi would have a lot of functions, but, as you see, things scale down and you nuh have that great demand ... . When dem time ya chip in, mi would have a second body to help, but the demand not there this year.”

Beckford said he was just working with the times.

Bar operator Shauna Myers-Williams will be celebrating her fourth marriage anniversary later this month, but she has nothing planned.

“On the 24, it will be four years. I am going to just stay home with my husband, spend some quality” Myers-Williams said with a smile.

She told The Gleaner that all she would like for Christmas is to get a tablet computer so that her daughter can be better equipped to deal with schooling and won’t be left behind.