Holidays

Which island are you on? Stj kinda has the best 4th as it is there carnival and they go all out. Tons of people go there during this week. Stx has a fireworks show on the west end. Not sure what stt does.

Lots of extra caribbean holidays but unless you work for the local govt chances are you won't be getting the day off. We just celebrated emancipation day yesterday for example. There are alot of them, some are important like three kings day (christmas time) and others are just an excuse to call in sick. I can't speak for stt or stj but halloween and thanksgiving are not done up here like they are stateside, much more low key. And you have to remember since most transplants leave they're extended families behind quite a few go home for the big holidays or you get together with your island "family".

Christmas is special down here. My favorite place to spend it is here. I've never gotten trick-or-treat kids but I think there are parties for the kids but as Betty said, it's not as big a deal as in the States.

The nice thing about Christmas & Thanksgiving is you spend those days with people you WANT to celebrate with rather than possibly family you wish you didn't have to. 🙂

You get to pick your friends!

For many of the locals, July 4 is eclipsed by Emancipation Day on the 3rd. They celebrate the "peaceful revolt" that led to the freeing of the slaves by the Danish Governor. you can read about the celebrations in Frederiksted in the on line newspapers.The transplants tend to celebrate the traditional Independence Day with BB Q's etc. The Yacht Club used to have a super firework display until an accident put that in jeopardy...not sure if that has, or will, resume(d).
Going to Buck Island or just going to the beach on the 4th is popular with everybody and I am sure plenty of good food will be eaten by all Virgin Islanders.

Ah, holidays! Like Bull and Bread Day, Hurricane Supplication Day, Transfer Day, VI-Puerto Rico Friendship Day, Christmas Second Day, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Three Kings... Lots of things to celebrate and memorialize.

http://www.onepaper.com/stcroixvi/?v=d&i=&s=News:Local&p=1176612932

this article in the St croix source describes the fireworks festivities and also does a good job of looking at the diversity of the population on the island - note the bit about "Continental looking" people in their pricey enclave. That sums up up the demographics on St Croix perfectly. Not much melting pot there.

Thanks Jane...........If the reporter had ever been to that "Country Club" he would be rather dissapointed in the "pricey enclave"! More fun at the fish market.

From the "Source".........
At the north end of town, mostly older, mostly continental-looking folk were parking in the St. Croix Country Club parking lot, draped in their nicest tropical attire, strolling into their pricey enclave as attendants minded their personal parking area. At the other, the fellows at the Frederiksted Fish Market marked their open-air country club in their own way.

I only get 10 holidays but what is great about most of the celebrated Holidays in the VI is the lack of commercialization. Holidays are a celebration not a retail ting like in the states.

I just finished reading the online news story. Thought the writer did a great job making me feel as if I were there. We spent the Fourth on the grass knoll in Corvallis, Oregon, where we've watch the fireowrks every year for the last 17 years (save one, when our son was born July 3.) There was a little sense of sadness that this would be the end of that tradition, and the online story made me feel good about the place we hope to call home (as soon as our house sells. Please lord, send me a buyer!)

I get NO holidays. To get all the VI holidays, you mostly have to work for the government.

We were on the beach at Coconuts for the fireworks as usual. Not a sign of anyone in their nicest tropical attire. Mostly people in swim suits and coverups or shorts and t-shirts. There were a LOT of "local" faces, especially young males with their dirt bikes and 4-wheelers revving the engines and taking friends for rides, etc. There is a lot of parking across from Coconuts (which is just north of the "country club"), which is what really explains why there is always a crowd at that beach area for the fireworks. Having some chance at food and beverages for the several hours you will be there is also helpful.

Last year the fireworks were shot off from the beach in front of the country club, which also led to more people showing up at that site to get prime seating this year... but this year they got smart and shot them off from the end of the cruise ship pier instead.

The "country club" in Frederiksted isn't the same kind of thing as the "yacht club" in Cotton Valley. I think it's more of a local club than a continental transplant hang-out.

"Bull and Bread Day?" Sounds intriguing. Tell me more! Hurricane Supplication Day is obvious, as is VI-Puerto Rico Friendship Day. But Bull and Bread Day sounds like my kind of holiday, especially if you get very broadminded about your definition o bread – one of my favorite liquid libations is made from grains and yeast and I alwways consider a bottle of that part of my "bread" category on the ol' food pyramid.

John,

You can learn more about Bull and Bread Day aka Liberty Day aka David Hamilton Jackson Day here: http://www.homelandcollections.com/Liberty_Day.htm