Anyone trying to make it to Havensight late Tuesday afternoon was caught up in hours of traffic as local crowds flocked to the mall for the annual tree-lighting event.
The Christmas spirit was in the air throughout the evening, punctuated by carols from a variety of steel pan bands and the lighting of the huge artificial tree around 6 p.m. at the front end of the mall.
Nearby, a line of toddlers waited for a hug and a toy from Santa Claus, while tourists snapped pictures and buyers walked in and out of the stores opened late for the event. Large crowds also browsed leisurely through the rows of vendor stalls that were set up in the back part of the mall.
The vendors were selling a variety of wares, starting with several booths where food pots were stocked with dishes, running from the standard island macaroni to candied yams. At one booth, Inil Swann, who is visiting the island from Las Vegas, got her first taste of a salt fish pastry, bought for her by a generous taxi driver.
"It’s not really that salty," she said, with her mouth full. Swann said that while Las Vegas has its own draws, an annual Christmas fair was not one of them.
"Everything is so beautiful here," she said. "And this is a really great event. There is such a variety of things to see."
Along with food, other booths stocked V.I.-themed merchandise, jewelry and other handmade knick knacks, such as model airplanes made out of beer and soda cans.
"The idea came to me about a couple months ago," said Paul Wikander, who also makes bookmarks and other gadgets with his wife, Margaret. "It took me about a week to make the first one."
The planes caught the eye of several youngsters, who were drawn in once they saw the wind catch the aluminum propellers, making them spin. Wikander said half the profit from the business goes to his daughter, who finances missionary trips to Africa.
There were mixed reviews from store owners on how business was going this year, but many of the vendors were more optimistic.
Soul Creations owner Linda Bailey said her new Harmony bath and body line was getting a lift from online sales, which include a clientele from the states. She said her line is hand made with all natural ingredients and is almost edible, which adds to the appeal.
Chinwe Osaze offered the same kind of pricing at her table, which was filled with healing salves and handcrafted ornaments. The sign above her booth said "Lemongrass Hut featuring Mama Jo’s Bush Tea."
"My mother was Mama Joe, and she was a traditional Caribbean healer," Osaze said. "When I was little, she apprenticed me; and when she died, I did what I could to keep up what she taught me."
The wide variety of vendors shows just how popular the annual event has become, said Edward Thomas Sr., president of the West Indian Company Ltd., which manages the Havensight Mall.
"It just gets bigger and bigger every year," he said. "And this year, it seemed like everyone wanted to be a part of it."
Thomas said overall, he is anticipating a good winter season, with an increase in passenger arrivals. The economy seems to be turning around, and everyone is "cautiously optimistic" that sales will pick up, he said.
Thomas also said that WICO has extended until the end of January its agreement with the Government Employees’ Retirement System to manage the mall.
"We wanted no stress for the tenants as the Christmas season approached," he said. "We didn’t want anything negative — we just wanted them to do well."
