Tag Archives: Jamaica

Deck the halls, ‘Tis the season! It’s Christmas, my favorite time of the year, well isn’t it for everyone’s? Gift giving, receiving, sharing time with family and friends. I grew up not believing in Santa Claus or Father Christmas as I knew to call him as a child. My  grandmother dispelled all of that by telling me he died in a plane crash. Either way I still received gifts, she would  let me know they were from people who loved me. I recalled receiving  the tiny porcelain tea sets, dolls and those noisy gadgets that lasted maybe if I am lucky up to New Years.

We celebrated the the typical Jamaican Christmas, the decor, cake baking,sorrel/rum punch making  and all the preparations leading up to Grand Market or Christmas Market, where children spent money on trinkets, toys, whatever their pocket money could afford. Christmas Day we opened gifts, feasted on the abundance of food; neighbors were friendly, sharing whatever type of food they prepared. Children dressed in their best celebrating, eating and some of us would take a sip of the adult rum punch available.

At age 9 I was sent away to boarding school, Lyndale Home for Girls. My mother was migrating to the United States and not able to take me along at the time, thought this was the best place for me. That September day in 1970 was filled with sadness. It was a long quiet ride from Montego Bay, St James to Highgate, St Mary.  We finally pulled in to a palm tree lined driveway up to an extremely large colonial styled building, bordered with  beautiful flower gardens. I got out of the car and looked around, the grounds were very pleasant to look at,  across the driveway was a large neatly mowed lawn, another flower garden and a huge almond tree.

The front door opened and we were greeted by the superintendent Mrs Cunningham, she gave a gentle smile and invited us in.  We entered through a large foyer to her office. I don’t recall any of the conversation there after, my eyes were busy roving and absorbing everything.  What seem to be forever, I was told we are heading to the cottage. The younger girls stayed at the cottage until age 12 and later moved to the bigger dorms.

We went back outside to the car, picked up the suitcases and started walking down the driveway.  It was early evening and a many of the girls were outside playing. I could hear the whispers, “new girl, new girl”.  We kept on walking, passed the palm trees, to my left a sprawling poinciana tree in all its red flowering glory, on to another long walk way to the cottage. To the right were huge flower beds of roses, dahlia, chrysanthemums, cosmos and various other flowers.  To my left there were girls playing on the swing set and seated on the outdoor benches. As we approached the veranda we were greeted with a smile by a beautiful elderly Indian woman, she introduced herself as the housemother Mrs Ramput. She welcomed me and took me by the hand and led me inside. We walked passed a beautifully furnished drawing room in to a dormitory which now would be my forever home.
All my suitcases were placed by a bunk-bed and we went back out. It was now time to say goodbye and the waterworks began.  I stood on the veranda with Mrs. Ramput holding my hand and watched as my mother went back up the path, got in the car and left.

The days went by very well took some adjusting to be around 49 other girls, I was extremely shy but still made friends.  Twelve girls stayed a the cottage and all the other older stayed at the bigger house. Lyndale had strict rules, Monday through Friday  5:00 am a bell rang to wake us up. We showered, made the beds, did our chores and got dressed for school. At 7:00 am another bell, breakfast time, we gathered at the dining room ate followed by morning devotion then back to our dorms. By 8:30 another bell, a line was formed at the driveway and we would be off on the road to whatever school we attended.
At the end of our school day, we played outdoors until 5:00 pm another bell, it was dinner time. At 6:30 it was study/homework time, 8:00 pm bed time lights out.

Saturdays and Sundays broke up the monotony, we still heard the bell at 6:00 am but the chores were done after breakfast. Saturday afternoons 1:00pm – 3:00pm were classes for sewing embroidery, crochet, craft, dress making, cooking and baking. Sundays we attended church, ate dinner at 1:00pm and rest period from 2:00-5:00pm no outdoor activities, we spent time reading, writing or other creative. We were only allowed to watch television on the weekends or holidays.. Staying at the cottage,  we were allowed to watch television in the evening before dinner.

It was now my first Christmas away from my family, my mother was now living in the United States,  and my grandmother and grandfather visited me a few times. Schools were getting ready to be out for the holiday and many of the girls were going home to their respective families. I discovered Lyndale held a Christmas party dinner.
The days leading up to it was a lot of hustle and bustle, cakes baking, dining room decorated with, streamers, garlands and a grand Christmas tree. This was my first year , participating in the preparation was not an option, but fun to watch. My excitement built from hearing the stories from the other girls who experienced it all before.

On the evening of the dinner we had to be properly dressed, we all gathered in the dining room, tables rearranged banquet style covered with white table cloths. Setting was formal and proper manners was expected. (not that it was not all year round).
The meal was a large serving of garden salad,  chicken leg/thigh, ham,  potato salad, rice and peas with sorrel for drink. Dessert was ice cream (grape nut or vanilla) with a generous slice of Jamaican rum cake.
After dinner the table was cleared, we remained  seated, gifts were handed out. The superintendent and two other staff called our names as each girl went and received a gift. There was also incentive gifts, or prizes. The evening ended with joy and laughter, each girl showing off what they received and being thankful.

In the coming days many of the girls went home. I remained, there were few others with me which amounted to about 10 girls. It felt strange but I coped. The first day without that many girls I realized those of us that remained were allowed certain privilege. Television until sign off, slept a little later and the food servings were sometimes different. I must say  we were always fed very well throughout the year.
On Christmas Eve we got dressed up, were given  pocket money and as group headed to Highgate square, or Christmas market. We ran in and out of store looking at items and buying what we could afford.  We got the usual, balloons, star lights, water pistols, whistles and other noise makers. We head back, tired from all that walking and hit the bed quickly.
We rose early Christmas morning for church stars were still out but we headed out singing Christmas carols along the way. We returned for breakfast, which was another big spread.  Dinner was early on that day, and similar to what was serve at the Christmas dinner party. There was no shortage of food. After dinner we gathered in the drawing room to watch what ever Christmas special was on television or sat around while someone played the piano and we sang carols. Again the day ended with joy and smiles, the next day was Boxing Day a British colonial holiday. We spent the day just relaxing , reading and later in the evening watched television.
New Years Eve we attended watch night service at church, then came home and hit the bed. New Years Day felt like a final celebration, in the coming days the girls would be returning, we headed back to school and it would all goes back to the way it was.
I spent nine years at Lyndale, I saw girls come and go.  Some things changed as the time passed, but  the excitement of my first Christmas somehow never changed. As each “new girl” came I would also tell them what to expect, I could the excitement expressed on their faces. A Lyndale Christmas will always be a great memory for me.