Isat Buchanan gets double the gifts in December

For attorney-at-law Isat Buchanan, the month of December holds a special place in his life. He admits that while he anticipates celebrating Christmas with family and friends, he also celebrates his birthday on December 12.

"The best memory I have about Christmas is that my birthday is the same month, so I get two gifts in one," he laughed.

However, he will always hold close to his memory that every Christmas while growing up, he would always be gifted with cologne and aftershave, a gift he said he never liked.

"It was a repetitive gift. I would get it all the time because my birthday and Christmas would fall close. They would give me cologne and aftershave and say that was the gift. Sometimes they cheat me with the gift," Buchanan said.

But while he found humour in receiving the 'awful' gifts at Christmas, he would always cherish the time spent with his family. "Christmas means joy, celebration, being thankful and it means family and love. As we learned that it is the celebration of Jesus Christ, it means hope and betterment," he said.

Buchanan shared that his parents taught him the most important principles of the Yuletide season are prayer and family. He said a tradition in his family was praying before opening the presents, a practice he has adapted in his adult life.

Although Christmas may have to be celebrated remotely this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the curfew that starts at 7 p.m. on Christmas Day, Buchanan believes that Christmas spirit is not the same as yesteryear.

"Because of crime and how society has evolved, I don't think it's the same. What I can say from observation is that this year will be different. Grand Market no matter what, is a lively place. Walking through Half-Way Tree, walking the whole plaza stretch from Southdale Plaza right to the last one, and then going into the square and seeing the people; it's that energy," he said.

He told THE STAR that it is most memorable to smell the Christmas trees that are usually present at Village Plaza every year. "It's the same energy when you go downtown. There is always something you can buy to wrap and give somebody because it's the time of giving," he said.

He said that he is hoping the Christmas spirit will return soon, to bring light and joy to the Jamaican society. "December 1st will always catch me like a kid. I'm looking forward to it," he said.