Holiday Traditions Around the World

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Jamaica

My most distinctive memories of Christmas are those from my childhood. Growing up in the countryside of Jamaica one of the Christmas traditions that have stayed with me over the years is that of waking up early on Christmas morning to go and see the procession of masked dancing men heralding Christmas Day.

As children we were often afraid of these masked dancing
figures but found it thrilling nonetheless because this was our way of celebrating Christmas, and we couldn't wait until next year again when we would have to get up early to go and see these "jonkonoo men" parading down the streets and beating drums to announce the dawning of another Christmas
morn.

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