TORTOLA—Shabree Frett typically would be shopping during Christmas in the City, but this year she was among the vendors taking part in what has become an annual tradition for early, hand-made holiday gifts and a throwback to holiday celebrations of years gone by.
Now in its 24th year, the two-day event that begun Friday afternoon and ended at midnight on Saturday drew scores of residents looking for unique gifts, listening to Christmas stories read by children, and sampling a variety of black cakes by some of the island’s best.
Frett, whose online store, Intentionally Glam, sells an assortment of gold-filled jewelry and pendants, was among the 50 in-person vendors at the event, which also featured a “Christmas Cake from Around the World” competition, and the debut of Cedar School Steel’s fungi band that entertained those gathered with holiday tunes.
Frett said she makes customized charms for Crocs, and designs them to a customer’s liking. “Business is great. Normally, sales are slow online, but with everyone seeing the products in person, it’s been a great experience,” Frett said Saturday night. “They’ve bought almost every type of item tonight, and during this afternoon, so it’s doing great and I’m happy I came to Christmas in the City.”
According to Frett, many who stopped at her table said they were aware of the online store but unaware that she owned it or the variety of merchandise.
“I’ve had a lot of exposure tonight,” she said. “Lots of people have taken my business cards and gone on the website to explore more.”
D’Janni Fredericks was browsing, and a necklace at Frett’s stall caught her eye, as she walked by.
“I stopped and wanted to look some more because everything on the table looks intriguing,” she said. “I purchased two rings, a necklace, because I lost my jewelry a few days ago when it fell off — so here I saw some things that I liked.”
Before shopping picked up on Saturday evening after a slow Friday, Kenesha Smith, a Jamaican native living in the BVI, was celebrating a narrow win. She was among 13 entrants in the Caribbean Insurers Ltd., 50th anniversary “Christmas Cakes from Around the World” competition. Residents from different islands living in the BVI enter their native’s Christmas cake in the competition.
Smith won by a point – with a score of 70 — after judges tasted her black cake, a centerpiece dessert recipe in all of the Caribbean containing dried or candied fruit soaked in rum or brandy and spices. It is also known as Christmas cake, rum cake, and wedding cake depending on when it is served.
The competition for second place was between Guyana natives Cheryl Winter and Denise George Wintz, who also entered Black cakes into the competition. So tight was the battle for second place that the judges needed a second tasting of their black cakes. In the end Cheryl Winter edged her counterpart Wintz – also by a point, winning 69 and 68 points, respectively.
In addition to Jamaica and Guyana, there were also cake entries from the British Virgin Islands and Dominica.
Simone Monsanto, the director of Caribbean Insurers Ltd., who started the competition years ago, said she was impressed with the entries — and the throwback to Christmas of long ago.
“There were some good entries and the competition was really tight,” she said.
As for Smith, she reveled in her win.
“I’m surprised. So many awesome cakes are here, but I had confidence,” she said. “Black cake is my specialty and I sell black cake every year.”
Smith, a cook at Peebles Hospital, is well-known for her pastries and treats.
““In everything I do, I say ‘God blessed those two hands’ — and that’s my motto. I cook at Peebles Hospital and in my spare time I make cakes, tarts, black cakes, you name it — even special treats,” she said.
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