by Shanice from Bridgetown asks Santa about Christmas romance movies, learns about Barbados’s easternmost location, and hears about the Landship and Mother Sally traditions
Dear Santa, my name is Shanice and I am nine years old. I live in Bridgetown, Barbados, where my granny says our island sits further out into the ocean than almost any other in the whole Caribbean.
Dear Shanice, your granny is entirely right, and Barbados always feels like a proud, solitary little outpost on my Caribbean route.
Santa, I have three questions.
My first question is, do you like Christmas rom-coms? My auntie watches them back to back every December while decorating, and the whole living room ends up smelling like popcorn.
I catch bits of them occasionally, Shanice, mostly during quiet moments, and popcorn during decorating sounds like an excellent tradition worth keeping exactly as it is.
My second question is about our island. My teacher says Barbados is the furthest east of all the Caribbean islands. Is that true?
It is, Shanice. Barbados sits well east of most other Caribbean islands, out in the open Atlantic Ocean, which gives it its own distinct waves, winds, and character. Flying that extra stretch out to reach you each Christmas Eve is always a memorable part of my route.
My third question is about Landship and Mother Sally. Every December our streets fill with dancers in navy costumes and one very tall, wide figure called Mother Sally. What is that tradition about?
The Landship is a wonderfully unique Barbadian tradition, Shanice, a social and cultural group performing drills and dances styled after naval traditions, often appearing during festive parades. Mother Sally, a colorful, exaggerated masquerade figure, dances alongside them, a tradition rooted deeply in Barbadian folk culture. It is one of the most joyfully unusual sights on my entire route.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Shanice Forde
Bridgetown, Barbados
P.S. Have you ever danced with Mother Sally?
Once, Shanice, very briefly. She led, understandably.
