Bermuda residents plan to spend the festive season with friends and family — whether home or away.Cetera Desilva, 32, said that she would continue her tradition of “house-hopping” so she can see all her loved ones.Ms Desilva added: “I go from house to house every year to spend time with friends and family. I’ll be at my mom’s house first then move to my dad’s place with his family and cousins. Some coworkers will have their houses open, too.”Ms Desilva, who works at drinks giant Bacardi, said that Christmas was her favourite time of year because she got to watch everything “come alive”.She said: “I like everyone’s spirit, I love the music and I love the atmosphere.Ms Desilva added: “Everyone seems a lot happier during Christmas, so that’s what the Christmas spirit means to me.”She said that she also helped at a Christmas charity dinner for the disadvantaged at the Salvation Army North Street Citadel in Hamilton last week.Ms Desilva explained that Bacardi had backed the event and she helped give out clothes to people who needed them.She said: “I just want everybody to have a good time and enjoy themselves and feel like they’re appreciated and loved.“I think that’s what Christmas is all about — making people feel like they’re loved.”O’Neil Swaby, 50, said that he planned to visit his homeland of Jamaica for the first time in eight years. He explained that his job as a police officer made it difficult for him to get back to his old friends and family.Mr Swaby added: “It’s nostalgic, going back home to be with my roots.”Mr Swaby, from Smith’s, said that he planned to go to church with his family for a traditional Watchnight service on Christmas Eve.He added: “Christmas is all about sharing and giving love in the humblest way.“Jesus Christ was born in a manger, so even if we’re by the roadside we’re going to hug up and feel warm.”Mr Swaby said: “This shouldn’t just be for the season — I think we should live this way from January to January.“We should work harder to break down barriers — geographic, racial, religious, everything.”Rose Desilva, 60, no relation to Cetera, said she planned to spend Christmas Day at her son’s house with her sisters, their children and close friends.She added that her family had a tradition of announcing what they had been grateful for that year before they ate Christmas dinner.Ms Desilva said: “This year I’ll say that I’m grateful for everything that the good Lord has done.“He put a roof over my head, he gave me some health and strength and helped me to pay my bills and keep my children safe.”Ms Desilva, from Devonshire, added she attended charity Christmas dinners before Christmas to “get a nice meal and to meet great people”.She explained: “It’s important to me because you get to come together as friends and to meet other people.”A 78-year-old grandmother, who asked not to be named, admitted that the holiday season was difficult for her because of a family tragedy 14 years ago.She said: “My son was in a motorcycle accident on Thanksgiving. He lasted for six weeks in the hospital before we lost him.“He died on January 3, right after Christmas.”The woman, from Sandys, added she gave her six grandchildren a Christmas present on his behalf every year.She explained that most of her grandchildren would get gift vouchers and the youngest — an 18-month-old boy — would have “plenty of toys underneath the tree”.The woman said that her childhood home had been a festive gathering point and she had kept up that tradition.She explained: “My house was the house that everybody came to when I was a little girl, so all my relatives have always congregated at my household.“We have Christmas dinner and then we get to play games and socialise and be merry.”The woman added that giving gifts on behalf of her late son allowed her to enjoy the holiday season.She said: “I know that if he were here right now he’d say ‘mama, I love you’.”