Christmas in 5 ... with Macka Diamond

It was clear that dancehall diva Macka Diamond was in the Christmas spirit when she strutted into the offices of THE STAR earlier this week. Known for being in high demand during the holiday season, Christmas has always been her favourite time of the year. With a twinkle in her eyes and her Christmas hat slightly askew, the Money O artiste, whose given name is Charmaine Munroe, fondly reminisced about her childhood Christmas memories. She spoke about the importance of giving back during the holiday season and beyond, and shared a hilarious story of a Christmas mishap that still brings laughter.

This year, Macka will spend the holidays in Jamaica, surrounded by loved ones, while also delivering electrifying performances on stage.

1 . What does Christmas me an to you?

"Christmas usually means a lot to me, until I get old enough to realise that after Christmas then comes January, then it's my birthday and I am broke. I don't do a big celebration any more, but I still celebrate with my family as it remains my favourite holiday. I still shop, paint, and buy stuff, but not in abundance. Just nestling up and spending time with my family is everything to me."

2 . How do you make sure the holiday spirit is kept alive for you and your loved ones?

"I usually have a lot of shows around this time of the year. My mother loves to bake, so I don't do much. I'll wipe down the walls now, and this is the time where we just come together and chill. I also save and collect all I can, so I can buy my birthday gifts. Sometimes it's hard to balance my time because of the abundance of shows, but for this year, I have a show on New Year's Day, so I'll ensure that I spend Christmas Day with the family."

3 . What does the phrase 'Christmas is about giving' mean to you, and how do you incorporate that into your celebration?

"Because I don't focus on spending heavily on myself any more at Christmas, I divert my attention to others. I usually visit children and the elderly and do what I can. Just putting a smile on someone's face means a lot to me, and just as how we want to feel some form of comfort and contentment during this time, we should do the same for others. If we reflect on the life of Jesus Christ, we will know that he is very kind-hearted, and we should follow his footsteps the best way we can. The word is always love for me."

4 . What's the most meaningful gift you've ever given or received, and why does it stand out?

"One Christmas, I gave myself an expensive bedroom set. Back in the day, when you bought a dresser or chest of drawers for $70,000, that was a lot of money. At that time, the bedroom set cost almost $200,000, and that could be compared to about $2 million today. It meant a lot to me, and it was the best gift ever because I saved for a long time to reach that amount. It was a very proud moment for me, because I knew the time and effort I had placed into working and saving that money."

5 . What's your favourite Christmas memory?

"Those times when I was a little girl and I tried to be an artiste and I wanted to sing. I remember one Christmas Day, my mother sent me to the shop, but I went to deejay instead and didn't reach the shop. When I came home, she beat me. She was really concerned, and although she beat me, she didn't mean any harm. Even with that whopping, I could feel the love. I say, I got a nice Christmas dinner and a Christmas beating. It was just pure love, though, as the relatives we hadn't seen in a while would come around, and we would just have a good time."