Holiday Island Traditions

The Caribbean is one of the most uniquely fun places to enjoy the Christmas season, and here in Barbados, we have our own special ways of celebrating. The December weather is clear and sunny, the sea is dazzling blue, and the Trade Winds waft gentle breezes to cool our tropical evenings.

Last year at O2 Beach Club & Spa, we started creating new holiday traditions, many of which are uniquely 'Bajan', as we locals say, and this year we're finding more wonderful ways to celebrate with our guests.

Festive Programme Highlights

On December 21, the festivities really kick off with the Ocean Hotels Barbados Family Picnic at Bathsheba on the east coast, which invites guests to join staff from O2 and our sister hotel, Sea Breeze Beach House, on a fun day out on colourful local buses. The happy band will visit beautiful parts of the island and enjoy an authentic Bajan pre-Christmas ‘lime’, complete with local lunch and lashings of rum punch!

On Christmas Eve, the seasonal Sandcastle Competition will take place on our powder white beach, pitting creative teams against each other for festive kudos, with heat-busting sno-cones to enjoy afterwards.

Santa Claus arrives on Christmas Day - just how he’ll get here is a well-kept secret until 10am on the big morning - and the food, frolicking and festivities continue into the evening with live music and a DJ.

Wake up early on Boxing Day and work off the excesses with a healthy yoga session followed by aerobics in the pool - just right to set you up for the infused-rum tasting in the evening!

Eat, Drink & Be Merry!

Throughout the season, Culinary Director Sanoj and the O2 team will be preparing an array of magical menus across our five restaurants, ensuring that guests enjoy an authentic taste of our island during its favourite holiday of the year. Here are some of the flavour highlights:

BLACK CAKE - Similar to an English fruit cake flavoured with rum. Traditionally, the fruit is soaked for three months, then added to the cake mixture at the time of baking. Be careful though, because too much black cake may result in intoxication ;)

JUG JUG - This is a traditional Bajan dish is made from pigeon peas boiled with small amounts of salted meat and pork and seasonings.

FALERNUM - Pronounced fah-learn-um, this
sweet syrup used in tropical rinks. It contains almond, ginger and lime, and can be made with or without alcohol.

GINGER BEER - First introduced as an alcoholic
drink, nowadays it's a soft drink primarily flavoured with ginger root and sweetened with sugar.

SORREL - A Caribbean classic, this ruby red drink is made from the funnel-shaped flowers of the sorrel shrub, botanically named Hibiscus sabdariffa, which is a member of the Mallow family.

With the Tree Lighting Ceremony sure to be Insta-gorgeous, our days will be merry, bright and chock full of wonderful things to do, like sunrise fishing, surf lessons, cocktail and mocktail mixology.

At O2 Beach Club & Spa, we're looking forward to bringing new traditions with a Bajan twist to our guests, creating everlasting memories to keep them warm throughout the year.

CLICK HERE for last minute availability at O2 this festive season, but don't be discouraged - you can always book direct today so as not to miss out in 2024!