By Dale AndrewsThey call it the Spice Isle, and for some reason, there appears to be some connectionDowntown St. George?s was nothing like Anhirode?s home city of Georgetown on December 22 last.with Christmas and all the spicy food that goes with the celebrations.Maybe that is why Guyanese Indarpal Anirhode prefers to spend his Christmas in Grenada, which is arguably one of the most scenic islands in the Caribbean.Anirhode, who is called Chanderpaul by Grenadians, has been spending Christmas there for more than 20 years, and this is despite the popular saying, there is no place like home for the holidays.Anirhode hails from Enterprise on the East Coast of Demerara, and while the little village is certainly the home he returns to after almost every few weeks, December 25 has always found him on the Spice Isle, since he first set foot there.It?s not that he has grown to dislike Christmas in Guyana – after all,[url=http://www.salecheapjerseys.us@#$%&/]NFL Jerseys Cheap[/url], a Guyanese Christmas is like no other and many Guyanese who live abroad would give an arm and leg to experience it whenever they could.But as he explains, there is something about Christmas in Grenada that keeps him glued to the island around this time of the year.In fact, Anirhode left Guyana two Wednesdays ago to return to Grenada for the holiday, but he assured that the new year will certainly greet him in his homeland.Anirhode?s first encounter with the 344 square kilometre (133 sq mi) island was way back in 1984 when he took up an offer to go there and work with a company, which he did not name.?Since then I love it. It?s one of the best islands in the Caribbean.?  And he must know, because he has been travelling throughout the region since then.Previously in Grenada – a country with an estimated population of 110,000 – the islanders called him Burnham; now it?s Chanderpaul, since according to him they wanted an easy name to remember.Striking a Christmas bargain in Grenada.It was also the peace and quietness of the island that he fell in love with.?You don?t have much crime and things like that over there. And the people who make up this country that I like? too much friends, man? he said proudly.Now Anirhode had hardly ever missed a truly Caribbean Christmas, and the first time that occurred was an experience he had to force himself to forget. The year was 2004 and he was in Toronto, Canada.?Oh, was sad man, depressing, compared with the Caribbean, you know.?According to him, it was not what he had expected. He missed the busy streets with everyone doing something, even if it had nothing to do with the Christmas season.?I looked through my window,[url=http://www.nfljerseyschinaauthentic.us]Cheap NFL Jerseys China[/url], I see nothing. I cried and I said that never in my life would I do this (miss Christmas in the Caribbean) again.?As fate would have it, Grenada is not like Canada, in fact it is more like Guyana and although Christmas is celebrated there in a different way, at least it feels more like home to Anirhode.So it was not surprising that Anirhode went back on his word from his very early years and has not spent a Christmas in Guyana since way back in 1985.?And it?s just because of business. You make a lot of money during Christmas time.?Anirhode is a travelling businessman who moves goods from Guyana to Grenada.He explained that Christmas for the Grenadians is family-oriented.?People don?t travel, they stay home,[url=http://www.jerseysthrowback.us/]Throwback Jerseys[/url], they cook, eat with their family. A few people go to church. The thing about Christmas in Grenada is that they don?t look at Christmas, they look at Christ? Christ Mas.?Unlike Guyana, there is not much fairy lights and the prolonged shopping.?Maybe they have about two buildings that would be lit up with about five thousand lights. People would drive around, children will go and walk around. But in Guyana, almost everybody light up.?Like Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean, schools in Grenada will be closed for the season and there is the last-minute rush.?Christmas Eve is very hectic in terms of shopping, morning to night, because the stores go till about midnight. Transportation is provided,? Anirhode explained.But unlike Guyana, the police in Grenada take special care to ensure that the traffic situation does not get out of hand in the shopping frenzy before Christmas.And since Grenada is a predominantly tourist-based economy,[url=http://www.chinanfljerseysauthentic.us@#$%&/]Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale[/url], these things take priority.?Before the Christmas,[url=http://www.nfljerseyscheaponline.us@#$%&/]Cheap Jerseys Online[/url], the police will release a newsletter telling you how to protect your home. They teach you not to leave keys under your mat, look out for this, and they give you so much help throughout the Christmas.?According to Anirhode, not many Grenadians living abroad return home for Christmas, they prefer carnival, which he said is the ?big thing? for the island?s residents.He said that on a typical Christmas morning one would hardly find persons on the streets of Grenada.?People don?t move from house to house going around drinking, all they think about is it?s Christmas, let?s stay home with our family.?But ?they say when you?re in Rome do as the Romans do? and Anirhode has adopted that theory to some extent.He however finds time to link up with some of his countrymen to celebrate some aspects of the season the way he was accustomed to.?We cook, socialise,[url=http://www.salecheapjerseys.us@#$%&/]NFL Cheap Jerseys[/url], drink, sometimes we go on the beach and have a little picnic? fun, you know. The guys will play music and we would bring up old chat, basic things to make yourself feel as if you are at home (in Guyana).?He said that at no time do his countrymen try to impose their way of celebrating Christmas on the Grenadians.?Whatever is done in the Guyanese way is done among Guyanese.?Of course the food in Grenada at Christmastime is almost similar, with pepperpot being a constant.While the Grenadian pepperpot is almost similar to that of Guyana, Anirhode pointed out one significant difference – the pepper.?They don?t have too much pepper in their pepperpot. But you can add if you want and we Guyanese will do just that.?But while many Guyanese prefer to adorn their Christmas lunch or dinner table with chicken, the Grenadians favour ham.?Ham is a must for every home, and black cake. They have macaroni pie and some other basic foods,? he said.Sorrel drink is also a hit in Grenada and according to Anirhode, if one could visit every house on the island on Christmas Day, they are bound to be served with a glass.Boxing Day, though, is a different story.?Oh, that?s the holiday. People move out and drink and ting, party, beach, you know. That?s the day,? he stated.Like Guyana, agencies on the island do hold staff parties for the year end period.?But because of the economic crisis in the last few years,[url=http://www.nfljerseyschinaauthentic.us/]Wholesale Jerseys From China[/url], they cut down a lot on it. But before time it was great, you can go in any staff party, eat, drink and be merry.?Anirhode did not forget to mention that during Christmastime in Grenada, there are a lot of shows involving foreign entertainers. And of course there is no shortage of Parang on the island with small bands going around bringing Christmas cheer in song, similar to Guyana?s traditional masquerade.Although Anirhode has spent so many Christmases outside of Guyana, that longing has not necessarily dwindled over the years. He still would love to spend Christmas Day here sometime.?I don?t miss Old Year?s night. I am always home for Old Year?s night, but I would like to catch a Christmas Day,? Anirhode said emphatically.And like every Guyanese, the boast about Christmas in Guyana is not lost on Anirhode, so much so that his Grenadian friends are longing for a chance to experience it.