How is Christmas in Prison
The Christmas holiday is currently celebrated around the world; it is not only for Christians anymore. Typically, the Christmas season is a time of goodwill and joy. Despite having many religious roots, several non-religious people practice Christmas traditions. It is common to celebrate this season by lighting the houses with festive bulbs and Christmas-themed songs from grocery stores to cars. Red and green colors are common on merchandise and several stores’ décor. Children around the world leave out cookies and milk with the hope of luring Saint Nick. Generally, the Christmas holiday around the world represents one of the most pleasant times. This season typically encompasses gatherings with family and friends. Additionally, it features several gifts beneath the famous traditional Christmas tree.
What is it like then for individuals who cannot participate, for instance, those locked in detention centers? One might expect that Christmas Day behind bars is like any other day. Inmates sit within their confines, physically and emotionally alone, or down by the court punishment. Even worse, more misery exists from the seasonal tidings reminders on the other side of the prison’s fence. However, Christmas behind bars is not always dreary.
Bland days may almost always comprise the prisoner’s majority of days during incarceration. However, for some incarcerated individuals, the Christmas season is a time to anticipate. Although the holiday may not precisely resemble Christmas outside, it is not necessarily torturous.
Inmates celebrate Christmas differently depending on the individual correctional institution’s rules.
What is Christmas Like in Prison?
As mentioned above, Christmas celebrations vary from facility to facility. In some correctional facilities, this holiday is the only time when correctional officers give gift bags to offenders; these gist bags typically contain goods such as cookies and candy. These goodies have proven to propel underground economies, where offenders trade, sell or buy these goods.
Some facilities encourage incarcerated individuals to create an ambiance of festivity that typically includes cardboard Christmas trees and paper decorations. Some prisons go further to string festive lights within their confines. Additionally, some female correctional institutions hold beauty pageants and Christmas choir performances. Usually, these activities seek to relieve inmates of incarceration tensions. In addition, it offers offenders an avenue to unwind.
Unfortunately, studies have shown that some families stopped visiting prisoners during Christmas over the years. The scenario is a result of massive waiting lines during this season. Visiting areas are usually overcrowded during Christmas and hence visiting hours tend to be very minimal. Facilities eventually turn away many visitors after stipulated hours. Therefore, many families do not even attempt to schedule visits. The situation is even worse when these family members have other holiday plans outside prison.
To circumvent the waiting lines issue, some correctional institutions schedule Christmas Family Day. For example, the Logan Correctional Center offers bus rides for kids alongside other family members to the prison during Christmas. The aim is to allow children to spend more time with their mothers. At Logan, incarcerated people and their families gather at the gymnasium to share meals and play games. Inmates in such prisons tend to look forward to the Christmas holidays.
Generally, a menu in most facilities dictates the meals inmates will have during Christmas and other holidays. For instance, in federal facilities, there have been complaints that the meals are unpleasant and of rushed taste. This is because the cooking staff is usually annoyed at being deprived of time with their families. On the other hand, other facilities offer excellent food services during the season. For instance, they can go to different extents to prepare a perfect national menu. These facilities serve a platter of pastries, eggnog, cookies, and Cornish hen. Additionally, others offer pie and evening goodies.
Some section of offenders celebrates Christmas with their peers. At the same time, others continue with their regular daily programming. A good example is inmates indulging actively in the underground economy selling various items, including drugs. Typically, most incarcerated individuals do not gain much during Christmas. Either way, the feeling of loneliness and despair usually continue after Christmas.
Christmas in Federal Prisons
Over a hundred correctional institutions under the Bureau of Prison recognize and celebrate the Christmas holiday every year. However, the merriment of the festivities depends on the warden at each facility. Additionally, it depends on the inmates’ willingness to celebrate the Christmas spirit. Typically, the facility’s warden appoints a Christmas Committee from the prison’s administrative staff. The appointed committee is planning, establishing, developing, and administering the Christmas Holiday program. It is essential to note that this program can vary dramatically from prison to prison.
It can range anywhere from the program described at Martha Stewarts’ place of confinement (FPC Alderson-Camp Cup Cake), a few decorations, to a Christmas Day dinner. Unfortunately, if an institution is on lockdown, there may be no Christmas celebrations. Typically, offenders held at the Special Housing Unit or the whole have the worst holiday experience at these times.
Based on the budget and staff cooperation, incarcerated individuals usually set the festive mood and whether or not the celebration is joyful. However, notably, budget cuts have immensely reduced Christmas activities in recent years.
Activities
Here are some of the institution and unit activities in BOP facilities during Christmas:
Generally, each federal facility distributes holiday greeting cards to incarcerated inmates (donated by Hallmark Cards). The facility’s warden usually authorizes the sale of some special commissary times, increased telephone minutes, and visiting privileges. Correctional officers typically distribute a Christmas package to all inmates a day before or on Christmas Day. The package includes several commissary items and sundries, valued at several dollars. The prison decorates the visiting room and provides gifts for visiting kids. Occasionally, an offender dressed as Santa Claus distributes the gifts. Typically, the warden, alongside his staff or unit team, is responsible for the distribution.
The BOP allows each housing unit fifty to a hundred dollars to purchase decorations from the local K-Mart store. An inmate or staff can store away decorations that are not damaged after the holidays. They can use the stored decorations again in the following year. Federal prisons usually hold a unit contest for the best-decorated Unit. Prizes vary from facility to facility. However, standard awards include a popcorn machine brought to the Unit from the recreation department for one evening alongside a movie or soda.
The food services department typically offers hot chocolate and baked goods and sometimes eggnog during Christmas Eve. Additionally, there are special dinners for Christmas. The Chaplain’s office arranges for outside guest speakers alongside choirs to come to the prison. The jail then invites interested offenders to attend the functions. The Chapel is usually decorated with one or two Christmas trees. A catholic mass and Christian services are available. On the other hand, a Chaplain visits the prisoners in the Special Housing Unit.
Additionally, the Recreation and Education Departments usually sponsor several Christmas activities. These activities include Christmas sports, parties, and games with prizes such as candy and soda. Inmates can also win a movie or two. As mentioned, the joy of Christmas depends entirely on the warden’s authority and the cooperation of offenders and correctional officers. One inmate’s mess can lead to a lockdown, for instance, fighting, disorderliness, or being drunk. In this case, the whole Unit or entire correctional institution suffers the consequences.
For the most part, the Christmas holidays make the best out of the incarceration situations. Although federal prisons prohibit the exchange of gifts amongst offenders, some inmates do it anyway. Despite the attempts to make Christmas holidays in prison appealing, being separated from family is the most challenging aspect. All in all, Christmas Day is an essential part of incarceration life. Inmates are grateful that BOP recognizes and celebrates Christmas.
Christmas Presents
Most often, the idea of gifts in prison is unwelcomed. There exist stories of a sexual predator placing a candy on a new inmate’s bed. If that inmate accepts the candy, then it means they comply. Every time someone hands you something in jail, it immediately raises the alarm. Typically, it means that there exists no gift exchange or secret Santa behind bars. A Secret Santa gift on an inmate’s bunk generally means that someone is trying to make a move on them.
Many correctional facilities, particularly low to medium-security levels, permit offenders to send and receive gift cards from family and friends. Prisoners can buy Christmas cards alongside other holiday cards from the kiosk deducted from their commissary accounts. Different prisons have a list of authorized gifts and cards an inmate can receive. Typically, all items sent to prisoners are subject to inspection for contraband.
It is advisable to check the individual facility’s website or call the facility for inquiries on approved items.
Christmas Gift Ideas
While most people outside prison walls look forward to Christmas, this can be a challenging and lonely time for offenders. Therefore, establishing ways to stay in contact can make holidays without family bearable. Family and friends can assist an inmate in experiencing some home comforts and generally make Christmas better. Most correctional institutions have strict policies for mailed items and care packages. Regardless, there are several other unique gifts that one can send to support your loved one.
Here are some thoughtful items to send to inmates during Christmas:
- Commissary Funds
Although this idea may seem obvious, sending funds to an incarcerated person profoundly impacts their quality of life. While each prison is different, most offer three traditional meals each day and a place to sleep. Therefore, inmates require the money to purchase additional items for extra comfort behind bars.
They can use the extra few dollars from family and friends to purchase Snacks, Phone calls to you, Shampoo, Socks and shoes, and Vitamins and healthy food.
- Entertainment Funds
With the advent of technology, many prisons currently allow inmates to access high-tech tablets. These gadgets are similar to standard tablets only designed for use in correctional facilities. They offer unique content and services that inmates can use during incarceration. Inmates access educational and entertainment content alongside other communication tools.
With these tablets, inmates can place telephone calls to you, take educational courses, stream their favorite music, send messages, play popular games, and other possibilities.
Some free content and services include the dictionary, calculator, and calendar, select reading material, and quick links to standard facility functions. However, other premium entertainment
services like games and music require payment. Sending your loved ones funds for premium entertainment services is a way of making them enjoy the holiday season.
- Messages, Photo, and Video Attachments
Correspondence is one of the best and common ways of assisting the inmate in staying connected to families and friends. Typically, inmates cannot access the internet or email services. However, most facilities currently offer communication services where inmates can send messages back and forth. This way, you can send a happy holiday message to a loved one or a motivational quote during the Christmas season.
Most prisons now allow one to attach photos and video to their messages. Visuals, including videos and pictures, assists the incarcerated person to feel connected to the outside world. Remember, all notes, videos, and photos are always subject to facility review before handing them to the designated inmate.
Visitations
Most facilities allow inmates to receive visitors during Christmas alongside other holidays. The visiting room during these times has minimal space. Therefore, only the lucky lot in correctional facilities receive visitors on Christmas. Most offenders only see their relatives on Christmas if their family members are locked with them. Typically, there is a Christmas tree with presents under it and an inmate photographer. Inmates can therefore take pictures and document the Christmas visit with their family.
Unfortunately, inmates who get a chance to be with their visitors at the visitor room usually miss out on the Christmas special meal. However, inmates usually feel unaffected since the visiting room has exclusive items from the vending machines (they cannot usually access them).
Games
During holidays like Christmas, many facilities allow inmates to watch television. Most often, the prisoners go hard on sports such as NBA games and football. NBA games usually dominate the TV at Christmas. Incarcerated people watch these games all day during Christmas and shuffle them with phone calls to loved ones during commercials.
Other inmates are indulged in betting, drinking prison-made wine, popularly known as hooch, and eating their smuggled pecan pies. Additionally, they chit-chat about the time they will get to enjoy Christmas in the outside world.
Typically, correctional facilities offer Christmas activities that provide a diversion for offenders missing their families and loved ones.