What’s On Your Christmas List?
As Belizeans go about their Christmas shopping, the downtown area of Belize City is abuzz with different sights and sounds. We took our cameras downtown to get a feel of how Christmas 2022 is looking for the people we spoke with. This was what we picked up.
Sherima Moody
“Merry Christmas to my Moody family, the Waight family, everybody near and far weh related to me.”
Samira Maroquin
“I want to say hello to everybody, to Dibary staff, to our customers and a good seasons greeting to everybody.”
Marion Ali
“And how the Christmas di treat you?”
Samira Maroquin
“Well ah kinda sick but at least I have health and life.”
Kristen Ancona
“Christmas is treating me really good.”
Marion Ali
“You done get gifts?”
Kristen Ancona
“Not as yet, but I’m helping out here at work and everything is great.”
Marion Ali
“How the Christmas di treat yoh?”
Isael Juchim
“Good, good, thank God.”
Marion Ali
“Okay, yoh done all the shopping?”
Isael Juchim
“Yes, I just di finish now.”
Donovan Reneau
“Da only me one soh I nuh do much shopping, just basics.”
Marion Ali
“Ham and turkey, yoh done get that?”
Donovan Reneau
“Long time, long time. I done get mi ham cook to already. Yeah ah done got it pahn the table home but ah nuh want cut it yet.”
Marion Ali
“You want to say “hi” to anybody?”
Donovan Reneau
“Yep, I want to say hi to mi two sista, Esther and Angela, and mi people dehn up da Cayo – mi wife people dehn nuh.”
Cherisse Halsall
“It’s really going good. I got my free turkey, I sent that up to my sister. She’s getting ready to cook. My mom says she has been done with cooking for years, soh the tradition has been passed on, but getting ready to go home, relax, not deal with news for a few days and just hug my nephew tight.”
Nazira Espat
“To the whole country, Belize, to everybody, may they have a safe and blessed Christmas and may they have the peace and joy of Jesus Christ in their hearts.”
Marion Ali
“How things this year?”
Nazira Espat
“Ih di pick up right now. Last week Saturday mi good, Sunday no. I think Belizean people nuh like come out and buy to much pahn Sunday.”
Marion Ali
“Okay, well it’s Friday and two days before the big day.”
“Two days soh wi di hope and pray, ih pick up today from this morning early.”
Marion Ali
“What is people’s favourite piece out here?”
Nazira Espat
“Stainless steel because da like yoh have gold but yoh nuh got gold. This never change colour right.”
Shaheed Haulze
“I just want to say Merry Christmas to the Prime Minister of Belize and the Minister of Tourism, and Councilors Stephanne Hamilton, Michael Novelo, Mayor Wagner all of them. I’m doing my last minute shopping. It’s going good. It’s been wonderful.”
Marion Ali
“You’re looking for gifts?”
Shaheed Haulze
“Yeah for my nephew.”
Angela Cummings
“I live in Miscokolkiev, Oklahoma, Merry Christmas.”
Marion Ali
“Okay, are you enjoying Belize?”
Angela Cummings
“I love it here. It’s beautiful.”
Abimael Trejo
“I have a big day today because I have five niece and I nuh know what to do. I have to buy gifts and clothes so I’m just working on it. I’ve been in four stores, I’m still on it.”
Melvin Bautista
“The Christmas di treat we good because I win Boledo last night right, thirty-seven, hundred piece. Come up.”
Marion Ali
“What yoh wa do with that?”
Melvin Bautista
“Done shopping, bag full. I want big up my wife weh deh home. Shayla Sanchez, I love you, babe, and my sweet princess weh deh home, my lee baby, pretty.”
Marion Ali
“So this bag is full of gifts.”
Melvin Bautista
“Full ah gifts, Ready. I want big up my dog, Monocotoco pahn the side and Pahting.”