Since it would have been difficult for Kory and I to fly to the United States in December, we decided to spend Christmas in Martinique. We love this beautiful island and its people, and wanted to spend as much time as possible here before working our way north. What an exciting experience to be able to spend the Christmas season in the French-Caribbean!
We anchored outside of Saint Anne at the southwest side of Martinique in mid-November and made this spot our home until after the new year! We enjoyed a peaceful and memorable month-and-a half on this delightful tropical island.
Martinique’s culture is a mix of French, African, and Caribbean influences. The official language is French, but many people speak a Creole dialect. Very few people speak English, so we immersed ourselves in the culture and learned to communicate in French the best we could, thankfully with the help of a translator app.
The culture in Martinique is exciting and the Martinicans celebrate Christmas and the Christmas season just as joyfully as those in the United States. Churches on the island abound with services honoring our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and traditional Christmas hymns, pageants, mangers, and displays of Christian love can be seen and felt throughout the island.
Most of our Christmas decorations are in boxes in our storage facility, but I was thankful that I had packed a few items to deck the boat and make for a festive season. I baked Christmas cookies and played traditional Christmas music almost daily during the month of December, and it was a joyous occasion!
Although our decorations on the boat were sparse, the Christmas decorations on the island were plentiful. Bows and boxes were tied to lamp posts, ornaments were hung from trees, lighting was hung from homes, and the stores, malls, and commercial establishments were adorned to the hilt with all holiday frills, trimmings, trinkets, and finery. It was a joyful occasion for the locals as well for us visitors. The Christmas music playing in every establishment set a cheerful mood for the season and the people were kindhearted and warm.
We invited Craig and Bobbi over on Christmas Eve and enjoyed good friendship, lots of laughs, and a boisterous card game. We also devoured a charcuterie platter with all the fixings and Christmas cookies to round out the evening.
On Christmas morning, Kory and I enjoyed reading the Bible together, praying, then opening stockings and a couple of gifts from each other. We spent time calling and FaceTiming our family and friends and wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas.
Craig and Bobbi came over for a big Christmas meal later that afternoon and we enjoyed a sweet time of fellowship with them. Bobbi brought stuffing, cranberry sauce, and a scrumptious chocolate cake, which paired perfectly with our parmesan cream chicken, homemade mashed potatoes, caramelized carrots, green bean casserole, fresh buttered corn, and breadsticks. We had a meal fit for royalty! What a merry Christmas we had, remembering Jesus as the reason for the season and all the ways we have been blessed. All praise, honor, and glory goes to Christ, our King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
