NASSAU, The Bahamas—The Bahamas Post Office will issue a set of six stamps to celebrate Christmas 2006 on Wednesday, November 28.
The stamps are 15 cents (Christmas Sunday); 25 cents (Christmas Dinner); 50 cents (Christmas Shopping); 65 cents (Boxing Day Junkanoo); 70 cents (Watch Night Service); and 80 cents (New Year’s Day Junkanoo).
Christmas Sunday – The most important event for Christians in The Bahamas during the Christmas Season is to attend a Christmas Sunday church service to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.
Christmas Dinner – Most Bahamian families would prepare a special dinner at Christmas time, and the invitation list usually includes close family and special friends. The main meat for this feast is often baked turkey and or baked ham, which in many cases is a gift from a boss,relative, place of employment, friend or politician (buy those votes!).
Christmas Shopping – Although Christmas shopping has primarily moved to the modern shopping malls in the inner city of New Providence, it is still a tradition and thrill to go shopping on the world famous Bay Street.
Boxing Day Junkanoo – Junkanoo, which is celebrated every year on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, is a parade that takes place in all of the Bahama islands. The largest and most spectacular event is staged in the capital city, downtown Nassau, where thousands of fans sit, stand and dance to the music created by cow bells, horns, drums and whistles.
Based on selected themes, groups of individuals would exhibit superb artistic talents through colourful and creative costumes, which are constructed using, primarily, paper, glass trinkets and feathers.
Watch Night Service – After an, oftentimes, intense sermon during the final hours of New Year’s eve, and after confessions and New Year’s resolutions are made, parishioners prayerfully watch the clock as the “New Year rolls in”. The programme is slightly different from church to church and by denomination, but are all typically similar.
New Year’s Day Junkanoo – This parade is usually smaller than the Boxing Day parade, but with smaller costumes, participants are able to display more dance, theatre and music. This parade is the conclusion to the Christmas season and takes place on most Bahamian islands from 1:00a.m. to around 9:00a.m. on New Year’s morning.