FROM DUSK TILL DAWN
By Kandase
@Kandae11 (53679)
December 7, 2017 9:32am CST
No - this is not about the movie which has that title - this is about something completely different . How do you usually spend Christmas Eve night?
Here on my island in the Caribbean , hordes of late shoppers and others who just want to mingle will flock to the Grand Markets which are held in every town and city across the island, from dusk till dawn.
The real fun starts in the evening of Christmas Eve ,and designated streets are closed to vehicular traffic. Vendors are there in large numbers plying their wares. There is food, music, street dancing and other entertainment.
Christmas Eve night, I will not be at the Grand Market. I will be at home baking goodies while the traditional pepperpot bubbles on the stove and Christmas carols play on the radio. If friends drop by, they will be offered homemade gingerbeer and the traditional black-eye-peas cook-up.
Later I will wrap gifts, watch a Christmas movie and depending on how busy I get, I might be up until dawn. What are you doing Christmas Eve night?
31 people like this
30 responses
@just4him (306049)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
8 Dec 17
@Kandae11 The Christmas story is about a man who wins a prize - a leg lamp. and when he plugs it in, all the lights in the house go off - no power. There's a scene where one of the kids gets a pink rabbit footed pajamas, complete with bunny ears, then the scene where the kid puts his tongue on the pole, and the end they have Christmas dinner in a Chinese restaurant because the dog ate the turkey. It's corny in my opinion.
1 person likes this
@misunderstood_zombie (8142)
• United States
8 Dec 17
@just4him I feel the same way about watching it, I love it, but I have seen too many times.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
9 Dec 17
Nothing having to do with Christmas. It is a Sunday, so I will do typical Sunday evening things. I might even be on myLot.
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (48417)
• Mojave, California
7 Dec 17
I am going to Laughlin, I do not know why, but am. Apparently owners want to take me there for watching their house. Would have rather have half the cash of the cost of the trip, but hey this is how they do it now in the world of material and possessions. This way I keep watching their house, but what if I say no.
I hope you have fun though, sure sounds like you and eating and listening to happy tunes with the smell of good bakes running through the air.
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (48417)
• Mojave, California
7 Dec 17
@Kandae11 My brother and sister, they watching them now while I watch these 5 old cats and 1 old dog and 1 fairly young dog who is scarty cat,. Our dogs are family dogs. No one person owns them. None of us own them. They live among us and show us how life should be. 
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@Kandae11 (53679)
•
7 Dec 17
@crossbones27 So you will be spending Christmas alone in Laughlin ?
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@peachpurple (13884)
• Malaysia
7 Dec 17
Nothing, there won't be any party here, no visiting the sunday church either.
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@peachpurple (13884)
• Malaysia
7 Dec 17
@Kandae11 yes for the past 23 years, after I was married to a Buddhist hubby, no more xmas for me.
2 people like this
@much2say (53960)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Dec 17
Oh, those Grand Markets sound so festive and busy - I would love to go to that before Christmas Eve! But on Christmas Eve, I'd rather cozy up at home too. Not sure what we're doing this year . . . but I hope we will actually be at home and relaxing - not running around somewhere (like we will be doing the next day).
1 person likes this
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@allknowing (130066)
• India
8 Dec 17
I am never one for late nights and that applies to Christmas Eve as well.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
8 Dec 17
@Kandae11 I am an early riser by habit and so I just have to get back - my eyes say so.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40516)
• United States
7 Dec 17
Wow, your plans are a lot more interesting than mine! For years, we have our big dinner on Christmas Eve, all the kids spend the night, next morning we open gifts, then have left overs for lunch.
What is a pepperpot and gingerbeer? It's tradition here to eat black eyed peas on New Years Day.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
•
7 Dec 17
Pepperpot is made with pieces of meat (these days seeing I am a vegetarian I use veggie chunks). it is seasoned with pepper, cloves, thyme, garlic,onions making a thick sauce darkened with cassareep - a thick black liquid made from cassava. The meat will be cooked until very tender - and there is no need to refrigerate - the cassareep is a preservative as well.
Gingerbeer is made from ginger, lime sugar and yeast. It is left to ferment for a week or more.
Our black-eye peas cook up is made with the peas, rice, seasonings, thyme , coconut milk and pieces of salted meat. I usually prepare mine without the meat. The pepperpot is pictured above.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40516)
• United States
7 Dec 17
@Kandae11 Thanks, Kandase! I learned several new things today. Our black eyed peas are usually seasoned with onions and pork of some kind.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
My sister's and their families are coming here for Christmas on Christmas Eve. I have the biggest house and can easily fit the 20 people who will be here. I have decide what to cook for dinner and everyone else brings the desserts.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Dec 17
@Kandae11 It is, and Christmas day it will just be me hubby and our two sons.
1 person likes this
@misunderstood_zombie (8142)
• United States
8 Dec 17
I would love to do this, because Christmas is always a little depressing to me. How fun to go and eat and dance and feel happy.
1 person likes this
@misunderstood_zombie (8142)
• United States
8 Dec 17
@Kandae11 Where I live can be extremely cold or very warm for Christmas. I've never seen anything like this even when it's warm.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
8 Dec 17
That's beautiful. Actually I didn't know of such a movie.
Ah here it will be pretty quiet. Seeing as we don't have extended family - we will go to Chinese restaurant Christmas day
1 person likes this
