Christmas in Haiti

Christmas in Haiti

Traditionally, a few days before Christmas, Haitians would cut pine branches to serve as Christmas trees or  they would go to the market and get freshly cut trees brought from the mountains. They would then decorate them with bright ornaments. At the base of the Christmas tree they would add a fairly large nativity scene which could occupy a large part of  the living room. They depicted a cave manger, with Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, the wise men, and sculptured stable animals complete with hay.
On Christmas Eve, the children would place their shoes, nicely cleaned up and filled with straw, on the porch or under the Christmas tree. Papa Noel (Santa Claus) was expected to remove the straw and put his presents in and around the shoes. Christmas Day was a day of  a lot of eating and drinking and singing and playing with the toys brought by Papa Noel. The children might also play with fireworks which they mostly made themselves from chemicals bought in the store. They consisted of little “bombs” which they set off as noisemakers.  All houses in the neighborhood were open with all lights on until about three o’clock in the morning. Some people went to midnight mass. Others would go out in the neighborhood in groups, caroling. Parents generally gave their children complete freedom on this night and generally did not know or enquire where they went. The older children were in charge. Children of practically all ages were allowed to drink anisette on Christmas Eve. Anisette is a mild alcoholic beverage prepared by soaking “anise” leaves in rum and sweetening it with sugar.
Those who went to midnight mass would go back home to enjoy the meals of the “reveillon.” The word “reveillon” is French for a Christmas or New Year’s Eve supper and comes from the verb meaning ‘to wake up.” The occasion was however more a breakfast than a supper. It began very early in the morning and often lasted nearly till dawn.

What is Wrong with Haiti?

Author: Dr. John A. Carroll

Haiti does not get rave reviews as a place you want to visit or vacation. It is too bad because there are about 8 million good people that live here.

On Christmas Eve, 1492, Christopher Columbus “discovered” Haiti. He was looking for gold to take back to the Queen but didn’t find any. He did find a bunch of cool Indians named Arawak who had lived here for a kazillion years. The Indians were just settling down to dinner when Columbus and his men stumbled onto Haiti’s northern shore. Columbus described the Arawak that welcomed him as “docile” and he commented that they would be “good servants”. Over the next fifty years, things did not go well for the Arawak.

In the late 1700’s, the Haitian slaves brought from Africa to work Haiti’s hot and sunny fields, got tired of being buried in the sand up to their chins as a form of torture, and revolted against Napoleon. In 1804, after pummeling the French army, they became the first nation in history to be founded by freed slaves. The United States, of course, did not like this happening so close to home, and France, being bad losers and all, “fined” Haiti for winning the war.

Haiti is about the size of the state of Maryland. It is in the United States front door. A flight from Miami to Port-au-Prince only takes 90 minutes. Haiti is about 90 miles east of Cuba.

Haiti just finished the worst two weeks in its history.

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Spirit plans to fly to Haiti in 2007

Spirit plans to fly to Haiti in 2007
Spirit Airlines plans to begin flights to Haiti from Fort Lauderdale in April, its president says.
BY NIALA BOODHOO
nboodhoo@MiamiHerald.com

Spirit Airlines has received approval from the U.S. government to fly to Haiti from Fort Lauderdale, the local low-cost carrier’s president and CEO said Friday.

Spirit plans to start daily flights to Port-au-Prince in April, Ben Baldanza said during an interview with The Miami Herald on Friday.

”By census count there are almost 100,000 Haitians living in Broward,” Baldanza said. “Everyone we’ve spoken with is really excited about us choosing there.”

The Miramar-based carrier is awaiting official approval from the Haitian government, but Baldanza said the government has so far ”warmly welcomed” the carrier to the island.

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