Japo is happy to see the kids

My mother’s Christmas tradition is to spend the day at Uncle Tony and Aunt Nenoy’s. If we are in town, we join her there.

It’s always an interesting mix. My mother is full Chinese, born and raised in Jamaica. People always find it an odd combination when I tell them this. But it’s actually not that odd to Jamaicans. In fact, Chinese in Jamaica are so prevalent that taxi drivers have nicknamed them. When you get out of the airport, they will yell, “Mrs. Chin, Mrs. Chin, you want a ride?”

Majong

Uncle Tony is Chinese from Jamaica and Aunt Nenoy is Chinese from Asia. I love to see the dichotomy it brings.  They will serve sorrel, a Jamaican Christmas drink of rum, sorrel leaves, sugar, ginger and cinnamon. It tastes kind of like mulled wine without the tart taste that the wine adds. Next to the table with sorrel is the majong table.

Dinner includes the Jamaican rice and peas dish, which is really rice and kidney beans cooked in coconut milk. A Jamaican staple. Right next to it the Chinese staple at every meal, white rice. Jerk Chicken sidles up next to Singpore noodles in a harmonious blend.

The White Elephant Game

Every year they play the white elephant game. You know the game, where everyone brings a gift, you pick a number, then you get to open a gift or steal from someone who already has a gift. Mom brought three gifts, one for her, one for Jack and one for Ben. Ben fell asleep in the car over and missed the fun, but Jack took his number and surprisingly opened a perfect gift for him. Avengers puzzle, glow stick, and disguistingly sticky superman gummy. He opened a back and neck massager for his Japo and pencils, puzzles, dominos and coloring book for himself.

Disgustingly Sticky Superman Gummy

Everyone was super helpful watching our brood of kids. With my hands free I ended up eating three platefuls of dinner and grazing the dessert table even more. So good, so good.

Is that purple or fuchsia?