You wonder where it all went! The hectic activity of the past few weeks, the rush to spend every expendable dollar, the loads of rubbish and unwanted stuff discarded in the annual house-cleaning rituals, the home makeovers, the traffic snags, the never-ending sounds of carols and Christmas songs being played on television and on the radio, the almost daily parties, the big smiles and greetings of those returning home for the holidays and all the other things that go with preparations for Christmas are over.
All that is left is the peace and serenity of this day, the rich aroma of pepperpot and baked cake, the joyous laughter of the children as they indulge with their Christmas presents, the endless wishes to each other for a Merry Christmas, and the calls from overseas relatives; in short, the sheer happiness of this day that we call Christmas Day.
Today is Christmas Day, a time to be spent with loved ones and family. A time of caring; a time to count our blessings. All over the world wherever Christmas is celebrated, this is a time of goodwill to all mankind. It is a day to enjoy and a day to cherish.
From tomorrow, who knows, even today, many businesses will be counting their gains. From all indications this has been a bumper season for businesses in the country as Guyanese went overboard with their Christmas spending this year.
The spirit of Christmas is however no more profoundly felt at this time than through reaching out to the poor. Amidst all the activity that was taking place, the poor and indigent were not left out in the build up to Christmas Day. Many businesses, organisations and private individuals extended their generosity to the needy, helping to bring Christmas cheer to those places where it is needed.
Guyanese are an extremely generous people. And this generosity seems to know no limits at this time of the year. It is something that we should all feel proud about as a people. It has been said so often that if each day could be Christmas, then Guyana would not have so many problems.
Each day however cannot be Christmas, but is it too much to ask that the spirit of goodwill to all humanity that so dominates this season extend into the New Year? Why is it that when we take down the decorations come 12th Night we should not replace them with a more permanent commitment to keep that spirit of brotherhood for the remainder of the New Year?
If anything tells us that it is within our power to resolve our differences and live in peace and harmony in Guyana it is in the way we celebrate Christmas. We therefore hope that on this Christmas Day every single Guyanese would ponder on the significance of this powerful spirit that so unites all of us at this time of the year.
We hope that our political leaders will take note of the national mood at this time. There can be no denying that Christmas, more than any other season, is a time when we get along well with each other, when differences and ill-will are usually set aside. Is it too much to ask that our political leaders do the same, at least at this time and ideally right through to the end of the coming New Year?
The problems of Guyana are not intractable. Guyana is a beautiful country, blessed with warm people and abundant resources, enough for everyone to enjoy a decent existence. With goodwill and cooperation we can transform the long-heralded potential of this country into a living paradise, if only everyday could be Christmas.
We at Kaieteur News would be taking the holiday off to unwind and spend time with our families. However, the world never stops and while the press may not be rolling, the news will still be covered by our hard-working staff. And as usual, we will ensure that you will receive the news when we return to the streets.
The publisher, management and staff of the Kaieteur News would like on this very special day to extend best wishes to all Guyanese at Christmas. Have a wonderful Christmas!