< PreviousChristmas in Cayman 18 FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2022 Twinkle, twinkle, Christmas stars Just as people flock to the ice rink at Rockefeller Center each year, so Grand Cayman residents tour gardens and public venues that sparkle and shimmer with thousands of Christmas lights. When we were young children on the island in the ‘70s and ‘80s, our mother used to drive us around to see the lights at various homes. It was our yearly ritual, which always included the animatronic Santa that Home Gas had in its window in town. Those were the days of the big, colourful bulbs with not an LED in sight, but it was magical nonetheless. Mum would have us singing carols in the car as we drove the quiet roads of Grand Cayman. Now, the displays are nothing short of spectacular. Scientists haven’t just been working on how to build a better mousetrap over the decades - they’ve also been busily making advances in the world of festive decor. The results can be admired in person at the Crightons’ home and Bodden sisters’ house every December. For those not in the know, the Crightons’ is located opposite Ocean Club. Trees are festooned in lights, there are animatronic elves in workshops, manger scenes, train sets and inflatable Christmas characters specifically positioned around the vast garden in front of the house. The family very kindly allows the public to walk the grounds, which is always a wonderful experience. The Bodden property is on South Church Street opposite Sunset House, and once all the decorations and lights are in place, you can practically see it from space. It is spectacularly bright, incorporating all the colours of the rainbow, with touches like an old-fashioned doll choir set up by the front door, a gazebo converted into a winter wonderland, and fanciful birds such as flamingoes and swans gracing open areas between the trees. Again, people are allowed to go through the gates and walk the grounds, and often a savvy ice cream truck is nearby to enhance the evening. There aren’t many places in the world where a cone of icy cold, creamy vanilla is welcome in the winter months. Although these two iconic residences immediately spring to mind when families plan their Christmas lights tour, remember that journeying further afield can definitely reap rewards. The island’s main roundabouts are always worth a drive-by, as each is uniquely decorated for the season. For example, the Island Heritage roundabout is a definite nod to Cayman’s history and culture, usually featuring a catboat and old-style cottage. Cayman National Bank’s roundabout is awash in shades of blue, the company’s signature colour, while the Butterfield roundabout firmly marks its place with a towering ‘tree’ in its centre. Last year, Heroes Square was beautifully decorated, with a magnificent Santa and his reindeer overlooking a fully-lit Tannenbaum, and giant golden baubles big enough for people to walk through. With George Town now favouring pedestrianised areas, it’s well worth parking the car and wandering the twinkling streets in the quiet night, under the stars. And, of course, Camana Bay always goes big-or- goes home when it comes to Christmas. Huge reindeer, massive wreathes and lights aplenty turn the town into a real wonderland, not to mention the polar bear you might find in a secluded garden square, or the brick red post box that conveys letters direct to the North Pole and Santa. It all culminates with a tree on the Crescent so tall, it acts as a beacon for pleasure boats cruising into the harbour, looking for a bit of festive magic. Rather than just heading to one spot this year, bundle the family into the car and make an evening of it. Explore the lights of the island, singing carols as you go, and revel in the simple joy of spending time together, where getting in the spirit doesn’t cost a thing. Vicki WheatonChristmas in Cayman 19 FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2022 boddens.ky Wishing you and all our esteemed clients a peaceful holiday season. In lieu of corporate giing, we have made a donation to Jasmine. HAPPY HOLID A Y S HSA from Gynaecology Services Haematology Sports & Exercise Medicine Speech & Language Therapy Behavioural Health Accident & Emergency Occupational Therapy Laboratory Services General Practice NICU ENT EMS Caring Urgent Care Health Services Authority Paediatrics Nurses Surgical Doctors Excellence Patient-focused Highly-skilled Critical Care Cardiology Cancer Care Dialysis Pharmacy Public Health Ambulance Dental Clinic Complementary & Alternative Medicine Eye Clinic Forensic Science Nutrition Physiotherapy Radiology Chiropractic Orthopaedics Maternity Anesthesiology Internal Medicine Neurology Neurosurgery Urology Women’s Health Pain Management Blood Bank Experts Respiratory Therapy From your friends and family at the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority Wishing you and your family peace, joy and good health throughout the holiday season and the new year.Christmas in Cayman 20 FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2022 Christmas camps for kids The run up to Christmas can be a busy time, especially for parents juggling work, holiday preparations and children who are off school. Cayman has a myriad of camps available to help share the load during most holiday periods, and Christmas is no different. Check out one of these camps if you are looking for ways to keep young minds engaged and entertained. CHRISTMAS NATURE CAMP Kula Kids Yoga and Footsteps School provide a nature camp from 19-23 December, 8:30am - 2:30pm for children aged 4-12 years old. Camp takes place at Dart Park & Clubhouse and consists of yoga, mindfulness, nature exploration, survival skills, art, games and more. Camp costs $350 for the full week or $85 per day. Email kulakidsyogacayman@gmail.com or call 916-3007 for more information or to register. FITNESS CONNECTION CHRISTMAS CAMP Fitness Connection on Glen Eden Road has long been the go-to spot for after school activities and school holiday camps. Led by experienced and fun- loving staff, their Christmas camp is a great option for kids aged 4-8. The camp provides a wide range of activities to fuel young minds and bodies, from daily excursions to beach and pool time, to arts and crafts. Their Christmas camp runs from 19-21 December and fills up quickly. Contact fitness@fitness.ky for more information. CAMP SEAFIRE Camp Seafire at The Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa is for 5-12 years old and offers arts and crafts, sports, and outdoor fun at the pool, beach and Splash at Seafire. It runs from 19 December - 10 January, with full day options running from 8:30am -5pm and half days from 8:30am - 12pm or 1pm - 5pm The daily rate for half days is $56 and for full days is $102, while a full week of half days is $280 and a full week of full days is $510. To book, email campseafire@seafireresortandspa.com. HORSE CAMP ON THE FARM Cayman Riding School on Hirst Road offers Horse Camp on the Farm from 19-23 December, 8:30am - 12:30pm Children aged 5 and up can take part in daily riding and farmyard activities with kid-friendly farm animals, learn how to look after a pony, and enjoy arts and crafts and games. No previous experience is necessary, and children will be supervised and ride in groups depending on their experience and confidence. Riding helmets are provided. Camp costs $55 per day or $250 per week. Email caymanridingschool@gmail.com for further details or to register. CAYMAN MUSIC SCHOOL Music Camp at Cayman Music School provides a range of creative activities including singing, playing musical instruments, choir, band, drum circle, karaoke, and much more. Camp is open for kids aged 5-12 years old, and runs from 19-23 December, 8:30am - 2:30pm. Cost is $275. Register through forms.gle/NCF7oU7r2H5ubMYU6 or contact the school for more information on 938-3838 or email: caymanmusicschool@gmail.com. EQUESTRIAN CENTER CAYMAN The Equestrian Center will be holding a fun-filled Christmas camp from 19-23 December, 8am - 12pm Children aged 5 and older can enjoy daily riding experiences with a host of barn games and activities. Cost is $350 for the week, and no experience is necessary. Email equestriancentercayman@gmail.com to sign up. YMCA The YMCA Christmas camp will run from 19-23 December and caters for children aged 5 - 12 years old. Camp YMCA includes recreational swimming, a field trip, YMCA ropes challenge course, arts and crafts, sports, activities and a visit from Santa. Registration is available at ymcacayman.ky. Cayman camps are popular and book up quickly. Call or email as soon as possible to check for availability. Christmas in Cayman 21 FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2022Christmas in Cayman 21 FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2022 The Air Care Team would like to wish your family a very Joyous Holiday Season and a Prosperous New Year. HOST YOUR CHRISTMAS EVENT AT Boutique function suite Ideal for festive parties Flexible space Contemporary decor Centrally located Plenty of free parking 949-5111 loft@compassmedia.ky compassmedia.ky/loftChristmas in Cayman 22 FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2022 Old Cayman Christmas memories There is an Old Cayman Facebook group that regularly posts a treasure trove of pictures and memories from days gone by. We reached out to members of the group to ask them what they remembered about Christmas in Cayman when they were young. These just some of the wonderful responses we received. GETTING THE TREE Many locals got their Christmas trees by going out to find the perfect live one and bring it home. “Going to South Sound to cut down our Christmas tree. It was our tradition. There was a little spot of land in the seaside between the dock and South Sound.” – Sheila Woods “We used to go to South Sound to cut down our Christmas tree, too - we did that for many years.” – Katie Moore “I remember going and picking our Christmas tree, decorating it with paper ornaments we made and coloured, in different shapes. We would join together dyed popcorn on thread and string them around the tree in different colours (eating the popcorn while doing that task and getting a good slap for eating it [laughs]). [We would even use] newspaper to wrap the gifts when one set of the Christmas paper was finished. Oh, the fireworks out in town on Christmas Eve, and the smell of apples would be so strong. “We always had balloons on the tree as decoration as well; usually by Christmas most had burst or deflated [laughs] but it was beautiful to us. And yes, the smell of apples meant it was Christmas for sure. Also, getting a couple of cases of mixed canned sodas, oh my…what a delight!” – Shirley Jackson “Our cousin Bertley and grand-uncle Capt. Cadion both had trucks, so off to South Sound we’d go to get the Christmas tree. When we returned, we had our paint can filled with sand waiting for it.” – Velma Powery Hewitt “Christmas was, for me, a pine limb decorated with whatever we could find. No popcorn, a little tinsel, no gifts, but a wonderful time decorating the yard with white sand and conch shells and the living room walls with Sears catalogues (Christmas wallpaper) which made the roaches happy, because they used wet flour as glue [laughs].” – Evart Jackson DECORATING THE YARD With no snow to speak of, islanders still ended up with sparkling white yards, thanks to some ingenuity and beach sand. “In October we would start tidying the backyard and taking up sand from the front yard to spread there. Then we waited for the moonlit nights and me and my younger siblings joined our cousins and neighborhood children to ‘back’ sand from Sand Hole Rd. “We, the older ones, had the larger ground baskets and our smaller siblings carried a smaller bag, whilst the wee ones carried a paint can. There were little mounds of white sand strategically placed in the front yard and fresher conch shells to brighten up the walkway from the road to the door. “Now, the week before Christmas, all those pretty little piles of sand were gently smoothened with a rosemary broom attached to a stick by thatch string and voila! a beautiful Cayman Christmas yard.” - Velma Powery Hewitt REMEMBERING LOVED ONES Those who had passed were not forgotten, and graves are still visited and treated with tender loving care around the holidays. “Has anyone mentioned going to look for the family graves and painting them and putting fresh flowers on them at Christmas (and Easter)? My dad does it - or, lately, has it done - every year and I’ve learned where most of our family graves in West Bay cemetery are so that I can take it over when I need to. A few of our older family graves are covered with sand and ringed with conch shells.” – Charles D. Bush “We still do, but when I was growing up, we went to the cemetery to put on fresh sand. We would go down to the beach and back the fresh sand, remove the old sand and replace it with the fresh clean sand then place the new bouquet on it.” – Rachel Ebanks SANTA’S COMING TO TOWN No matter how he got here, Santa always made an appearance on the island, either arriving by plane, or riding on a truck through George Town, distributing candy. “That truck was for a gentleman by the name of Lemmuel Mclaughlin from East End, and the Santa Claus on it was Bill [McTaggart]. Santa use to come in on the Cayman Brac plane, then they would leave from the airport and drive through town, throwing out candies.” “They also had a band on it. Boveble was the drummer, Ken Davis played the saxophone, Radley [Gourzong] played the violin and Skanky was the singer. Good, good Christmases.” – Julie Brown “Lemmuel Mclaughlin was also known as ‘Hot Water’ on the docks, founder of the trucking company Mack & Son. [He was] tougher than nails – [he] could lift a 55-gallon drum of kerosene oil up on his truck by himself. That was his other nickname – ‘Forklift’ - one of the last of Cayman’s iron men [smiles].” – Evart Jackson “Uncle Bill Mctaggart was Santa Claus at ByRite supermarket [in George Town]. My sister and I would get in the line for a gift over and over again [laughs]. He never said ‘no’ when we held out our hand for yet another gift [laughs].” – Shirley Jackson “Our father used to pack all my siblings and cousins in back of his truck and drive to Seven Mile Beach. We would use old paint cans to load up the truck with sand to dump and spread in our front yard for Christmas morning – it was always so exciting. I guess it was our version of ‘snow’, but for us as children it just added to the excitement of Christmas and was the most beautiful sight on Christmas morning.” – Shirley JacksonChristmas in Cayman 22 FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2022 Old Cayman Christmas memories There is an Old Cayman Facebook group that regularly posts a treasure trove of pictures and memories from days gone by. We reached out to members of the group to ask them what they remembered about Christmas in Cayman when they were young. These just some of the wonderful responses we received. GETTING THE TREE Many locals got their Christmas trees by going out to find the perfect live one and bring it home. “Going to South Sound to cut down our Christmas tree. It was our tradition. There was a little spot of land in the seaside between the dock and South Sound.” – Sheila Woods “We used to go to South Sound to cut down our Christmas tree, too - we did that for many years.” – Katie Moore “I remember going and picking our Christmas tree, decorating it with paper ornaments we made and coloured, in different shapes. We would join together dyed popcorn on thread and string them around the tree in different colours (eating the popcorn while doing that task and getting a good slap for eating it [laughs]). [We would even use] newspaper to wrap the gifts when one set of the Christmas paper was finished. Oh, the fireworks out in town on Christmas Eve, and the smell of apples would be so strong. “We always had balloons on the tree as decoration as well; usually by Christmas most had burst or deflated [laughs] but it was beautiful to us. And yes, the smell of apples meant it was Christmas for sure. Also, getting a couple of cases of mixed canned sodas, oh my…what a delight!” – Shirley Jackson “Our cousin Bertley and grand-uncle Capt. Cadion both had trucks, so off to South Sound we’d go to get the Christmas tree. When we returned, we had our paint can filled with sand waiting for it.” – Velma Powery Hewitt “Christmas was, for me, a pine limb decorated with whatever we could find. No popcorn, a little tinsel, no gifts, but a wonderful time decorating the yard with white sand and conch shells and the living room walls with Sears catalogues (Christmas wallpaper) which made the roaches happy, because they used wet flour as glue [laughs].” – Evart Jackson DECORATING THE YARD With no snow to speak of, islanders still ended up with sparkling white yards, thanks to some ingenuity and beach sand. “In October we would start tidying the backyard and taking up sand from the front yard to spread there. Then we waited for the moonlit nights and me and my younger siblings joined our cousins and neighborhood children to ‘back’ sand from Sand Hole Rd. “We, the older ones, had the larger ground baskets and our smaller siblings carried a smaller bag, whilst the wee ones carried a paint can. There were little mounds of white sand strategically placed in the front yard and fresher conch shells to brighten up the walkway from the road to the door. “Now, the week before Christmas, all those pretty little piles of sand were gently smoothened with a rosemary broom attached to a stick by thatch string and voila! a beautiful Cayman Christmas yard.” - Velma Powery Hewitt REMEMBERING LOVED ONES Those who had passed were not forgotten, and graves are still visited and treated with tender loving care around the holidays. “Has anyone mentioned going to look for the family graves and painting them and putting fresh flowers on them at Christmas (and Easter)? My dad does it - or, lately, has it done - every year and I’ve learned where most of our family graves in West Bay cemetery are so that I can take it over when I need to. A few of our older family graves are covered with sand and ringed with conch shells.” – Charles D. Bush “We still do, but when I was growing up, we went to the cemetery to put on fresh sand. We would go down to the beach and back the fresh sand, remove the old sand and replace it with the fresh clean sand then place the new bouquet on it.” – Rachel Ebanks SANTA’S COMING TO TOWN No matter how he got here, Santa always made an appearance on the island, either arriving by plane, or riding on a truck through George Town, distributing candy. “That truck was for a gentleman by the name of Lemmuel Mclaughlin from East End, and the Santa Claus on it was Bill [McTaggart]. Santa use to come in on the Cayman Brac plane, then they would leave from the airport and drive through town, throwing out candies.” “They also had a band on it. Boveble was the drummer, Ken Davis played the saxophone, Radley [Gourzong] played the violin and Skanky was the singer. Good, good Christmases.” – Julie Brown “Lemmuel Mclaughlin was also known as ‘Hot Water’ on the docks, founder of the trucking company Mack & Son. [He was] tougher than nails – [he] could lift a 55-gallon drum of kerosene oil up on his truck by himself. That was his other nickname – ‘Forklift’ - one of the last of Cayman’s iron men [smiles].” – Evart Jackson “Uncle Bill Mctaggart was Santa Claus at ByRite supermarket [in George Town]. My sister and I would get in the line for a gift over and over again [laughs]. He never said ‘no’ when we held out our hand for yet another gift [laughs].” – Shirley Jackson “Our father used to pack all my siblings and cousins in back of his truck and drive to Seven Mile Beach. We would use old paint cans to load up the truck with sand to dump and spread in our front yard for Christmas morning – it was always so exciting. I guess it was our version of ‘snow’, but for us as children it just added to the excitement of Christmas and was the most beautiful sight on Christmas morning.” – Shirley Jackson Christmas in Cayman 23 FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2022 “In central George Town, I remember Charles Barnes’ bus would take us to the airport to see Santa arrive by plane. He would then drive around the districts, throwing out candies for the kids.” – El Rey “Don’t know how long it’s been going on for, but I think it’s a longstanding tradition in Cayman Brac. Every Christmas afternoon, the Lion’s Club members, accompanied by Santa in a truck, drive around the island giving out gifts and candy to all the kids.” – Dena Scott-Powell SHOPPING Things were scarce on the island back in the day, with only a handful of shops selling toys. Certain fruits or food items were particularly rare, which made them a special treat at Christmas. “I would work in my grandfather’s store (Bodden’s Dept. Store) until all hours on Christmas Eve. Everyone would be in town shopping and the kids would be lighting fireworks.” – Selma Lee Arch “Mr. Willie Bodden’s ... what a treat; it was toy heaven. Remember the creaky stairs?” – Shirley Jackson “I recall dodging the fireworks being thrown around as we ran between Bodden’s Dept. Store, which was always filled with shoppers on Christmas Eve, and Comart, Hobbies & Books and Ms. Naomi’s store etc. to see what gifts we could purchase with our little pocket money made from working in the store.” – Andrea Bodden “I remember the first time I got a piece of ice. It was during Christmas, and I was trying for it not to melt. What a delight [smiles].” – Ernestina Cole “The only time that we saw grapes and apples was Christmas time. We also ate [beef] and pork once a year – again, at Christmas time.” – Julie Brown “True; before you even entered the store, you knew Christmas was in the air, not because of the decorations but the aroma of the apples and grapes. That was the only time you got them.” – Rachel Ebanks “We cleaned our home top to bottom and mama brought out the chenille bedspread and the lacy tablecloth. Shoes were checked and repaired and new laces were bought, if needed. We were blessed if we each got a new dress or shirt and just perhaps too there would be the addition of some ribbon for our hair and a new dress hat or handbag for mama.” – Velma Powery Hewitt MUSIC One of the most magical shared memories was of singing carols whilst travelling on the backs of trucks, or the sound of distant drummers slowly getting louder as they approached the houses. “I remember going to Sunset House on Christmas Eve, getting in a big, open-bed truck with seats with a lot of people, and driving around Christmas carolling. We went to the hospital and sang for the patients. That’s about all I remember, as I think a lot of rum punches were involved before we set out [laughs].” – Susanna Wren “Two or three in the morning, out on the flat bed [truck], singing carols, and people sitting outside their homes joining in.” – Carol Baillie “I think about six families were involved with their small children [when we went out one night]. We piled onto the back of our truck with Alastair [Paterson] or Nat Duckworth playing the keyboard. We had about five stops where we knew that a glass of wine at the end was our reward … or bribe for us to leave [laughs]. The children stood at the front with the parents behind, all singing our hearts out.” – Meg Paterson “Of course, we can’t forget the Christmas carols and plays at church. Mama Grace made our wings from wire hangers. You’d be practicing your part or role from late October thru November, each Saturday evening. I can see Mr. Bertie Ebanks pumping the organ and Ms Lillias, Ms Lizzie and Ms Sylvia getting us thru the practice for the play. The plays were all so much fun and the churches were all full. “Another part of the festivities [was going] out singing Christmas carols. Folks would be outside in their yards as we drove by and the whole neighbourhood would be joining in the singing. Sometimes a few more jumped on the truck bed, making it all the more merry and bright. It was a truly a happy time and as I write, I still hear Mr. Duxie Ebanks on his fiddle and Papa Chauncey Ebanks playing the mouth organ.” – Velma Powery Hewitt “One of my favourite memories was the ‘marching road band’. The men would come walking down School House Road with a wheelbarrow in tow, collecting any and all alchohol beverages. James Thomas on the saxophone and Nooksie on the drums. Other instruments I remember were the harmonica and grater. I can remember a few of the men: Mr. Coolidge, Mr. Rudel, Mr. Murry. They would stop in front of our house to play for my grandfather Lorraine. Everybody in the neighbourhood would come out to listen and give them a little something in the wheelbarrow.” – Siri D. Jones-Russell “They would come by the police station in town and play for us also.” – Rina Ebanks “We called them the ‘Marchers’ and as kids we would be awoken in the wee hours of the morning by the beat of their drums. As they got closer and closer, we glued our faces to the window in anticipation of their arrival. We would hear them at my Uncle John’s singing out, ‘Three cheers for John Franklin! Hip, hip, hurray!’ when he gave them rum. And then it was on to my grandfather’s (Willie Bodden), then finally to our house. My dad gave them money and they would repeat the ‘Three cheers for Bunny Bodden!’ After they left, we went back to bed, falling asleep to the sounds of the drums fading in the distance and anticipating the arrival of Santa Claus.” – Andrea Bodden “That is exactly how I remember it, too...the sound in the distance of those marchers drumming and getting closer and closer to our house was the most exciting sound on earth for us. Well, it was a tie between that and the early morning banging of pots and pans as our parents would start making Christmas cakes and all the delicious food for Christmas Day. “Daddy would always have a little bottle hidden away from us children to give the drummers. They would sing the ‘hip, hip, hooray, for he’s a jolly good fellow’ song over and over and we’d be peeping through the window behind the curtains. It’s a memory that we talk about every Christmas.’ – Shirley Jackson “Children singing Christmas carols on the school bus on our half-days for the Christmas break. Cayman beef in the outside caboose with the cassava cake. Cow tripe hanging out to dry, then we roasted it. My little piece of East End memories. And, of course, all the family at grandma’s house.” – Monica Rankine “My best Christmas memories were going to the Public Beach and waiting for Santa to arrive. He would arrive in the back of a pickup truck, decked out in his red and white suit, and toss handfuls of candies to all the waiting kids … ‘Now and Laters’, and those little square bubble gums that had a tattoo under the wrapper that you needed to chew for about 20 minutes before it got soft enough to blow a bubble.” – Tiffany VereChristmas in Cayman 24 FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2022 Something to mull over: The history of mulled wine Forget the lights and decorations festooning the shelves of shops in mid-September, or the Hallmark channel’s schedule of snowy, sweet Christmas films in July; it is the smell of mulled wine permeating through a house that really rings in the festive season. The mixture of citrus, cloves and cinnamon is unmistakable, and you don’t have to be Martha Stewart to produce delicious batches of the stuff. But where did mulled wine come from, and how did it begin? Of course, as usual, there are varying stories. If you guessed that the Romans and Greeks come into it somewhere, you’d be right, although in which precise century is somewhat up for debate. There are those who say that mulled wine originated with the Romans in the 2nd century. They would heat the liquid to warm themselves in the cold winter (or, drink enough that they didn’t care about freezing). It was called Conditum Paradoxum, and honey, pepper, laurel, saffron and dates were part of the mix. Others swear that it was the Greeks who began the tradition, using leftover wine from harvest, mixed with spices, so that little went to waste. Supposedly they called their concoction ‘hippocras’, named after Hippocrates, although what came first – the wine or the name – is open for discussion. Regardless of the above, everyone agrees on the fact that it became a very popular drink in the Middle Ages. If the Monty Python films are anything to go by, it seems the people from that time could use all the cheer they could get. The addition of spices to what was probably sub- par wine back then made the elixir all the more drinkable, particularly as the water was more likely to kill you anyway. The word ‘mull’, meaning ‘to heat, sweeten and flavour with spices’ showed up in the early 17th century, according to Merriam-Webster, and a book titled ‘The Good Housewife’s Jewel’ written by Thomas Dawson (a man, typical) in 1596, lists the recipe for ‘hypocrace’. Much like today, the recipes differ from tome to tome, but the main goal remains the same – a warmed alcoholic beverage that features a mix of spices. Another running theme that has not changed over the years, is that you don’t need to use expensive wine. Do not be dunking a bottle of Chateau Lafite 1787 into your Le Creuset saucepan, followed by a splashing of orange slices. (Although, we highly recommend getting an empty bottle of a pricey vintage, filling it with $13 wine, then making a big show as you pour it into a pan in front of your open-mouthed, weeping sommelier friends.) It may not snow in the Caribbean, but you can either crank the air-conditioning down or wait for the Christmas breeze to come-a-calling, then mull some wine and let that amazing aroma fill the house. Turn your TV dial to the Yule Log station, sit back, and allow the merry to wash over you. Mulled Wine Recipe INGREDIENTS 1 bottle of dry red wine (750ml) ¼ cup of brandy or orange liqueur (optional) 1 orange, sliced into rounds 8 whole cloves 2 cinnamon sticks 2 star anise 2-4 tablespoons sugar, honey or maple syrup METHOD 1. Combine ingredients. Add wine, brandy, orange slices, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and 2 tablespoons sweetener to a large saucepan. Stir briefly to combine. 2. Simmer. Cook the mulled wine on medium- high heat until it just barely reaches a simmer. (Avoid letting it bubble — you don’t want to boil off the alcohol.) Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours. 3. Strain. Using a fine mesh strainer, remove and discard the orange slices, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Give the mulled wine a taste and stir in extra sweetener if needed. 4. Serve. Serve warm in heatproof mugs (VERY important – we did glass tankards one year and it ended in tears), topped with your favourite garnishes. 5. Gloat. Let the accolades pour in and swear it’s your secret family recipe. Vicki WheatonChristmas in Cayman 25 FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2022 Suite A5, Cayman Business Park, 10 Huldah Avenue, George Town P: 345-943-2525 • 345-769-2525 • 345-925-4918 or 345-936-3331 W: www.anglinlewis.ky • E: info@anglinlewis.ky • F: AnglinLewisAssociates Holiday Hours: CLOSED : Friday, December 23 - Tuesday, December 27, 2022 REOPEN on Wednesday, December 28, 2022 CLOSED: Monday, January 2, 2023, REOPEN on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 with this AD RECEIVE a $ 35DISCOUNT PAINTS STAINS SEALERS PRESERVATIVES THINNERS PAINT SUNDRIES Merry Christmas Open for Business, regular hours, until Thursday, December 22, 2022. Closed midday, Friday December 23, 2022 through to Monday January 2, 2023. RE-OPENING FOR BUSINESS Regular hours on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. Hours of operation 8 am to 5 pm WISHING YOU & YOUR FAMILY A HAVE A HAPPY, HEALTHY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR Tel: 949-2920 CAYMAN’S LARGEST SUPPLIER OF: • Flyers • Bi-folds & tri-folds • Brochures • Booklets & programmes • Business cards (250 min.) • Jet varnish (2D & 3D) & foiling • Custom print products for all sectors • Faster turnaround times • Satisfaction guaranteed • No more shipping & customs hassles • Supports the local economy • Local market representative & great customer service What we can do for you: Why choose Compass Print: Compass Print 949-5111 printshop@compassmedia.ky compassmedia.ky If you can imagine it, we can print itChristmas in Cayman 26 FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2022 Cayman Christmas stamps through time Stamps used to play a crucial role in communication. International calls were very expensive, and words like ‘internet’ and ‘email’ were nowhere to be found in the dictionary, so sending physical letters to loved ones was the norm. Nowadays, most ‘snail mail’ is bills or official letters – technology has taken over; yet people still follow the tradition of sending Christmas cards. The Cayman Islands Postal Service annually releases new sets of Christmas stamps. Designs over the years have included biblical scenes, Cayman traditions, and Santa Claus. Here are just some examples from days gone by. Do you remember them? . Christmas in Cayman 26 FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2022 Cayman Christmas stamps through time Stamps used to play a crucial role in communication. International calls were very expensive, and words like ‘internet’ and ‘email’ were nowhere to be found in the dictionary, so sending physical letters to loved ones was the norm. Nowadays, most ‘snail mail’ is bills or official letters – technology has taken over; yet people still follow the tradition of sending Christmas cards. The Cayman Islands Postal Service annually releases new sets of Christmas stamps. Designs over the years have included biblical scenes, Cayman traditions, and Santa Claus. Here are just some examples from days gone by. Do you remember them? .Christmas in Cayman 27 FRIDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2022Next >