Hmm, Christmas time again. Let us go through our annual checklist to see what we need to tick off once again.

Clean chimney? Many of us no longer have chimneys. So scratch that.

Mail a wish list to Santa? It may be easier if we just WhatsApp him at this late stage.

With many people now cutting back on their energy bills, fewer folk are putting up Christmas lights and decorations on their house and in their yard.

Buying cases of 24 bottles of colourful mineral soda from Bassett’s or Metro? Sorry, those days are long gone.

It seems we may have to make some adjustments as Christmas has evolved over the past few decades.

What do we still do today that we have done for decades and centuries as a people?

Well, sales of turkey have continued. It seems as though hundreds, if not thousands, of turkeys have been given away by politicians of every stripe. So that tradition is still going strong.

With many people now opting out of eating red meat, I am not so sure about how many still eat ham. So that tradition may be trending down.

Christmas tree sales have reportedly been down this year. Some have claimed there is a need to stop growing and killing trees for the sake of decorating for one or two weeks and have now opted to purchase artificial trees.

For those who have gone down the traditional route, they have continued the decades-old trend of going all-out in decorating their trees.

Some families, such as the Andersons from St George’s, have annual family Christmas tree contests. The winner gets bragging rights for the year, which seems to spur others to outdo them in future years.

The annual list of company and community Christmas parties is compiled and put out in late November and widely circulated via social media.

This year, the Bermuda Public Services Union’s annual party moved from Bermuda College to perhaps its new home at CedarBridge Academy.

The theme was a Mardi Gras party, with the thousands in attendance soaking up the free food, free liquor and free fun. Lisa Christopher, Kewanna Swan, and the BPSU social and bar committee teams set a very high bar. Kudos to them.

The biennial Christmas Boat Parade has been revived from near death a few years ago, and many reported that this year’s fireworks show was the best ever.

This serves as welcoming news to the many who line the roads that have a view of Hamilton Harbour.

One tradition that never seems to go away is the annual Christmas Sunday, when many, if not most, of the churches are filled with those who have not attended a service since Easter or Mother’s Day.

Needless to say, it is like Christmas when those collection plates are counted.

So as you can see, many traditions have come and gone, and many have remained with us.

Ultimately, what is most important is that we retain our tradition of spending time with friends and family.

For many, this is one of the few times they actually see their family in one spot, and they cherish those moments of perfection.

I would like to take this time to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday season and I look forward to hearing about your memories of our Bermudian Christmas traditions.

P.S. Please tell Premier Dunkley the eggnog tastes a bit different this year.