Bruce Bowen, president and CEO of Scotiabank, listens intently to Mertle Henry, a Scotiabank pensioner, at the bank's pensioners' luncheon at the Hilton Kingston hotel in New Kingston yesterday. - Rudolph Brown/Photographer

WITH SEVERAL persons counting down the days to celebrating Christmas, Mertle Henry, the oldest Scotiabank pensioner, says she is not happy with the way the day is now celebrated.

Henry, 91, said the high rate of violence in the country had changed the "good old feelings" for the festive season, for which persons would have been making plans since mid-November.

"Christmas is far from what it used to be and it is not even half the way it should be," she told The Gleaner.

pensioners' luncheon

Henry was among the more than 100 pensioners who were at the Scotia Pensioners' Christmas luncheon, held at the Hilton Kingston hotel yesterday.

"We had a lot more activities then, and we were not afraid to attend them because we were able to move freely," she added.

The retiree said, apart from the crime, which made persons unsafe, the global economic crisis now placed increased hardships on many.

She pointed out that the celebration had been scaled down due to a shortage of funds.

"Persons have to be saving some of the money for the New Year, so they are not able to purchase the things that they would like to in order for them to have a merry Christmas."

misplaced focus

The senior citizen said the focus was no longer placed on the main reason for the festive season.

"Some persons don't understand the true meaning behind the day. The birth of Jesus is a holy day, and a lot of persons don't recognise that," Henry said.

"It (Christmas) was seen as a more holy day in the past, and we need to start moving closer to those days," she added.

The pensioner encouraged persons to make a difference by showing love this festive season.

"We can do it as a country, we can be good law-abiding citizens. So please, as we go throughout the season, reach out to your neighbour as we work hard to decrease the crime and violence in the country," she said.

Henry joined the bank in 1951 as the manager's secretary, after which she was elevated to being the first female accountant at the financial institution. She later served as a training officer at the bank's head office.