TRADITIONS are all part of the Christmas season.
And heading to church is one of the many Bajan traditions on Christmas morning, especially for early morning mass at five.
Donning new clothes to look fresh and as crisp as the morning air is also part of that tradition.
This custom is almost entrenched in the psyche of many Barbadians.
But traditions are sometimes broken, especially for valid reasons.
This might be a year when the custom and practice of having new “threads” for the special day will be – or rather, should be – put on pause, especially if you cannot afford it.
Dress to the nines if you can afford it. If you can’t, pass on the new clothes.
Given the current financially tough times, some people may have to pull out their old outfits, dust them off and put them on. This certainly will not take away from the reason for the season – the celebration of the birth of Christ.
Christmas should also be a time to reflect, and it may well be a good time for Bajans to look at their wants as opposed to their needs. There are also some among us who need to make this distinction to ensure they are not hanging their hats too high.
This is the case with some Barbadians who simply want to keep up with the Joneses.
That brings us to this week’s Secrets’ Corner question: Is it really necessary to have new clothes to wear to church or into Queen’s Park on Christmas morning, given how difficult things are financially these days?
Is having a new outfit really a priority, especially with limited disposable income? That is a question many may have to ask themselves as they also sort through the real priorities at this time.
For many who are watching their pennies, having food on the table will be the only concern. Others will also want to stretch their dollars a little further to make sure their loved ones have a gift under the tree. Of course, all these things are done after responsibly putting aside money for the bills, which will still roll in, despite the merriment of the season.
So even though it is Christmas, old clothes can do as good a job as new clothes, and many will still get to fill the pews of many churches across the island and sing lustily all the carols that celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In all the joys of Christmas, let us all remember the reason for the celebration, and properly budget because the reality is that life continues long after all the merriment of the holiday is gone.
These are the thoughts of some online readers:
– “Personally, I like clothes and fashion and it is tradition, so I would be stepping out in that new outfit even if it means spending less on other goodies. In saying that, I think I can manage not to spend this Christmas as my wardrobe has quite nice outfits for all occasion, even Christmas day.”
– “Wear whatever you have – old or new, it’s yours.”
– “Well, I am not a show-off, so if it is not affordable, old it is. For me my Christmas food is more important and making sure my children have everything they need.”
– “These days no one is checking for new clothes when you can buy something new any day any time for any occasion, even on Christmas day.”
– “It’s not necessary, but it is a culture and a time when people look forward to expressing their inner feelings by projecting the outward appearance. Having worked hard through the year, what better time to give oneself the gift which makes one feel good and thankful for the blessing and fruits of one’s labour.
– “We buy new clothes for a wedding or funeral, something we don’t have to do. The revellers buy costumes for Crop Over and carnival and kids get new clothes at the beginning of the school year. Having done all that, treat yourself to something that makes you feel good, and if it’s a new outfit to lift the spirit at Christmas time and go to [Queen’s] Park to be among people with the same intent. Enjoy your hard-earned money.
– “It is culture as much as people who dress up in their Easter bonnets on Fifth Ave in New York at Easter, or Mardi Gras in New Orleans, or Carnival in Trinidad. You only go around once in life, so live it to the fullest. I did it when I lived in Barbados and the memories still linger.”
