New Book Preserves BVI Christmas Heritage Through Stories and Art

Two Virgin Islands writers have published a book aimed at safeguarding the Territory's Christmas customs and passing them on to children and adults unfamiliar with how the holiday was once celebrated.

Gabrielle Skelton-Bardo and Bernadine Walters-Louis unveiled Virgin Islands Christmas Traditions: A Heritage Activity and Coloring Book on October 17 at the East End Public Library. The volume weaves together narrative, creative activities and cultural detail to connect readers with how families marked the season in earlier times.

Pages cover how households prepared for Christmas: cleaning, adorning homes and cooking traditional foods. The book also documents the practice of using natural island materials, such as inkberry trees and century plants, as Christmas decorations. Readers can engage with the culture through an interactive section called Granny Delphine's Christmas Story, which combines narrative with colouring.

Walters-Louis explained that she and her co-author felt compelled to capture these memories while they remain accessible. "Our traditions and heritage and so on will not preserve itself. We have to do it," she said. She drew on her own past, recalling journeys as a child from Virgin Gorda to Tortola to gather supplies for the holiday, moments she wanted recorded for those who might never experience them.

Skelton-Bardo, who brought together her passion for colouring and her own recollections of time with her mother, described the book as open to anyone seeking connection with island culture. "If you're not from here and you want to know more about us, this book is for you. If you want to be a part of us and learn more about our traditions, this is for you," she said.

The publication includes a bibliography directing readers to further sources on the Territory's Christmas heritage. Both authors hope the work will inspire households to exchange their own stories, deepen ties across age groups and foster greater respect for the customs that define island identity.

Copies are currently available through Lulu.com. The authors are working to arrange local sales outlets as well.