Childhood Christmases in Jamaica

Long talks and late-night laughter filled the warm December days and cool nights in Jamaica, my childhood home.

Grandma and I wrapped piles of presents to give to children on behalf of Grandpa’s employer, The Jamaica Inn hotel. I could barely reach the branches, but she let me hang the porcelain reindeer ornaments on the Christmas tree.

When aunts and uncles visited us from the USA at Christmastime, my grandparents gave them my bed. They relegated me to Grandpa’s aluminum chaise lounge brought inside from the verandah and every night I’d roll off. Awakened by the early morning chill, I’d find myself under the coffee table. I didn’t mind though, because I loved the happy chaos of us all being together.

Later, I found out Uncle Tom crept onto the roof one year and stamped about in hopes I’d think Santa had arrived. It worked, and I scampered away to my sleeping spot and left the adults in peace.

In the living room, vinyl records spun on the old phonograph with the diamond needle. I twirled across the fresh-waxed terracotta and ivory-colored tiles exuberantly singing carols with Bing Crosby, Mario Lanza, Nat King Cole, Perry Como, and the Harry Simone Chorale. One of my favorites—“The Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah.”

A whole pig with an apple in his mouth and homemade cherry juice bedecked the kitchen counter. The aroma of steamed plum pudding and sorrel drink made from hibiscus flowers and seasoned with fresh ginger, pimento berries, and brown sugar permeated the air.

And the most important, we went to the little stone church with the stained-glass picture of Jesus, The Good Shepherd, bringing home the one lost sheep. I knew I was the sheep, but didn’t yet understand how to be found. Now I know Him.

Jesus, the perfect, sinless, Sacrificial Lamb who atoned for our sins once and for all, is now our Good Shepherd. — Are you lost? Jesus is calling you home. 

The prophecy:

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us, a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 NKJV)

The angels announced His birth to shepherds who tended the lambs raised for sacrifices to God in the Temple. The temple sacrifices were an obedient act of faith, a foreshadowing of the Messiah, Jesus. They wrapped Him in swaddling cloths—the cloths used to wrap newborn lambs in.

Jesus, God incarnate, King of kings, Lord of lords, born in a stable, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. Look, the prophecy states His deity: The Child, the Son “will be called…Mighty God, Everlasting Father.”

Prophecy fulfilled:

Immanuel—God with us, among us, for us. Jesus—Gift of gifts given to us. Born to die so we can have a new life and eternal life when we repent and trade our sin for the salvation He offers. We can know Him, walk with Him.

The Hallelujah Chorus | Performed by The Harry Simone Orchestra

Your turn to reminisce and make memories today to treasure tomorrow.

Jamaican Christmas Sorrel Drink Recipe

Sorrel is a member of the hibiscus family. Fruity and tangy notes blend with warm spicy undertones in this traditional Jamaican Christmas drink. With its rich red color, sorrel drink dresses up your table whether in glasses or in a punch bowl. It also makes a great gift when presented in an ornate glass bottle adorned with a festive ribbon.

Ingredients:
2 cups dried sorrel (or 4 cups fresh) Available at health food and spice shops, and select grocers.
10 cups of water 
1 circle of orange rind
3-inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and chopped
10 (or about 1 Tbsp) allspice berries (called pimento berries in Jamaica)
Two 4-inch cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves
1-2 cups of brown sugar (sweeten to preferred taste)

Instructions:
Wash sorrel and drain in a strainer, removing any seeds.
Place in a pot with all ingredients and bring to a rolling boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat, cover the pot and let it steep for 12 hours or overnight. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. 
Sweeten to taste and chill. Serve over ice.

Scroll for some fun and inspiring story and song selections as well as a few book suggestions.

Christmas Stories for the Whole Family
on the Focus on the Family Podcast 

Warm your Heart, make you laugh, and inspire holiday activities, and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas with this audio collection.

Help from Focus on the Family 1-800-A-Family/ (1-800) 232-6459

VIDEO: Christmas with Will Graham ~ Peace on Earth
 A  message of hope from Will Graham and music from Cochren and Co.
filmed at Billy Graham’s childhood home on the grounds of
the Billy Graham Library 

SOME THINGS ARE WORTH REPEATING

Dueling Jingle Bells | The United States Navy Band 

LET’S KEEP OUR TROOPS SERVING AWAY FROM HOME IN PRAYER AND REMEMBER THEIR FAMILIES TOO.

The Birth of a King | Tommee Profitt – 2023 Live Concert
Amazing concert featuring 20 artists, a 60-piece orchestra, a 100-person choir performed at The Fisher Center at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Click link to listen to this podcast episode of Our American Stories with Lee Habeeb hosting author Ace Collins who shares The Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas

This Christmas Carol Playlist I created features over 30 songs and includes a wide range of artists spanning decades such as Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole to Andrea Bocelli, Southern raised, Thokoza, Rend Collective, and Mac Powell. (Over over an hour and a half of music focused on the meaning and reason for CHRISTmas.) *If you listen here in my post there will be no ads. ENJOY!

I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter for notifications of new blog posts and occasional offers and FREEBIES

A MOVIE TO INCORPORATE INTO YOUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS: I Heard the Bells | The true story behind #poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Poem I Heard The Bells which became the beloved Christmas Carol. (Available to stream or for purchase.)

Official Movie Trailer: The Man Who Invented Christmas

Based on the true story of how author Charles Dickens wrote the classic A Christmas Carol. Inspiring for the whole family and encouraging for aspiring and struggling authors. 

Books make great gifts! (Some new releases included below.)

NEW RELEASE!

Blessed to be a contributor to this brand new devotional Mountains Moved: 45 Devotions on Bold Faith. Proceeds from copies bought on Amazon go to a school in Guatemala  Proceeds from all Amazon sales will benefit the nonprofit http://www.lightforthefuture.org which supports youth in underserved communities in Guatemala including a school. Your purchase will empower lives and spread hope. (Dr. Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes is involved in this ministry.) Available on Kindle now. Paperback releases December 23, 2024.

Books by bestselling award-winning ghostwriter, author, Cecil Murphey. (My writing mentor:))

(90 Minutes in Heaven, Gifted Hands [the Ben Carson story], Rebel with a Cause [Franklin Graham's memoir],
Unleash the Writer Within, Bloodline: The John Turnipseed Story, Knowing God, Knowing Myself,
Ghostwriting: The Murphey Method,  and much more.) 
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  / CECIL MURPHEY'S WEBSITE

All royalties from the sale of these two books (to which I’m a contributing author) are donated to Samaritan’s Purse.

A FEW CHARITIES WORTHY OF SUPPORTING 
(After your tithe and offerings to your local church)

Samaritans Purse
 (affiliate of Billy Graham Evangelical Association ministry) 
Samaritan's Purse is actively  involved in the Hurricane Helene relief efforts 

Compassion International

World Vision

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association  24 hour Prayer Line: (888) 388-2683

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter for notifications of new blog posts and occasional offers and FREEBIES

Charlie Daniels Reads the Christmas Story from the Gospel of Luke 

Merry Christmas, and may God bless you and your loved ones in the coming year!

© 2024 Rachael M Colby | Tattoo It On your Heart

Author: Rachael M. Colby

Rachel M. Colby has a heart for reconciliation and a passion to uplift those who serve in tough places. She writes to connect culture's questions with Christianity’s answers, inspire faith, and motivate. She is an award-winning writer in the categories of articles, poetry, devotions, essays, flash fiction, and children’s picture books. Her article The Integration of Oak Ridge (the subject of her WIP) won the 2022 Selah Award for Articles in Print at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. She is a longtime member of The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild and a protégé in the Cecil Murphey Mentoring program. Rachael's work has appeared on the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Blog, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Christian Devotions, Southern Ohio Christian Voice, Inkspirations Online, in the compilation books Creative Writing Journal: Faith Inspired Writing Prompts & Hope-Filled Poetry, Defining Moments: Memorable and Inspiring Stories from Outstanding Leaders, and The Courage to Write: 62 Devotions to Encourage Your Writing Journey, and in the Oak Ridger newspaper. This Jamaican-born wife, mom, beach bum, artist, and work in progress makes her home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She runs on copious amounts of coffee, chocolate, and a whole lot of “Help me, Jesus.” View all posts by Rachael M. Colby