Dressing up as Father Christmas
In a Santa suit, this technologist has been spreading festive cheer since last year!
Playing Santa is not what I do for a living. I am a technologist by profession. I started dressing up as Santa since last year at the request of my childhood friend Sabina Xavier. I have a four-year-old son and he comes to all her parties. So, I thought of playing Santa to get my son in the X-mas spirit. Being a technologist, I am nowhere close to being as jovial as Santa. I am more like a nerd.
The best thing happened last night after I left Sabina’s place to change into my costume. My son didn’t know I am playing Santa but he was suspicious. There were also children outside her house who were not a part of the gathering but they came running and hugged my leg. It’s definitely a joy to put smiles on their faces.
— Ashish Bajaj, Principal Engineer, Qualcomm India Pvt. Ltd.
Traditional Christmas Cheer!
For me, December is truly the most wonderful time of the year! You can’t miss that distinctive festive feeling, that nip in the air and the sheer joy of the Christmas spirit. And it’s something I love to share with all! It’s the busiest time for me, but it’s also a time for tradition, a time for giving and a time for friends and loved ones. My home is the place where we meet and celebrate the holiday every evening. It’s an open house.
Three weeks before Christmas is when it all begins. The house is decorated with poinsettias, the wreath is put on the main door, the cinnamon, ginger bread and maple scented candles are lit and placed all over. I also set my phone ring tone to Jingle Bells so anyone who calls me gets into that festive Christmas spirit!
Putting up the Christmas tree is a big event at home and that’s the time when my children invite all their friends to come over and decorate the tree. It’s a truly happy time watching them pick their favourite ornaments and hanging them up one by one. Then it’s time for all the kids to bake and decorate cookies. Their favourites are the sugar cookies that they love to cut out, bake and decorate in different colours. The house smells absolutely divine this time of the year!
Cookie decorating isn’t just enjoyed by the children. My girlfriends love it too.
I bake the gingerbread men and sugar cookies, call over a few friends and we all decorate them together, with some cake and wine on the side.
Baking the Christmas cake is another tradition in our home and I enjoy doing it every year. It takes me a few days to finish the cakes and then they are cured with rum for a couple of days. Each of these days I have friends drop by and they chip in by making it another very special ritual.
I also make a lot of Christmas sweets during this time and then the cake and sweets are distributed to family, friends and loved ones. And it’s so lovely when I get all those messages telling me how much they loved my cake and goodies. We have one annual Christmas party at home a couple of days before Christmas and we have many friends who visit us that evening. There is a brightly lit tree in the garden and we have carol singers who come by and sing the most popular Christmas carols, while everyone sips on eggnog and mulled wine.
The children absolutely love it as Santa visits and they sit on his lap, tell him their wish and then walk off happy with a present from him.
However, the day of Christmas is quiet and private. We spend it with immediate family alone. We go for mass and have family meals and just sit around and enjoy our day together.
-Sabina Xavier
A happy time for all
Our family looks forward to Christmas every year. It is celebrated in a grand manner, although it was just my father-in-law’s mother who was actually Christian. It is a time when most of my family comes together. My kids, who are studying abroad, return and spend time at home, and my husband’s sister also flies down from England just to spend Christmas Day with all of us.
And then, of course, there’s the traditional Christmas feast. I prepare a roast turkey, Christmas ham, roast potato, gravy, garlic bread and the real stars — the dry fruit mince pies and Christmas pudding.
Christmas is definitely about spreading joy, and so, I invite all my staff. I give gifts to everybody who have helped me out throughout the year, including the maids and drivers. I organise a special lunch for them and it’s a happy time for all.”
-Jasmine Pillai
It’s a cherished tradition
Christmas is usually when we travel. But things are different this year because we are awaiting the arrival of our third child on New Year’s Eve. Christmas is a much-awaited festival. As we are at home this time, we plan to go all out on the big day. We will attend the Christmas eve service at church. There will also be a big family get-together.
Our daughters Arianna and Vivianna love to celebrate this festival. They helped me decorate the Christmas tree and even made tree ornaments this year. They are fascinated by Santa Claus. Every year, they write letters to Santa. But this year, they decided to do things differently. They have sent him messages and photos on WhatsApp of the presents they expect him to bring. The highlight of the entire festive season for them is opening presents.
As for me, Christmas has been quite different after marriage. I still remember the first time I put up a tree at home and my father-in-law asked me with genuine curiosity as to what he was expected to do. ‘What do I do now? Should I pray to the tree?’ he asked me. It was obviously something new for them back then. We’ve come a long way since then. Today, the whole family looks forward to Christmas celebrations. For instance, my father-in-law cancelled his shoot on the day so that he could be with us. This means a lot to me! Christmas has become a cherished tradition in the Manchu family now.
-Viranica ManchuSharing with the Community
Christmas for me is what it is for most people — a wonderful time with family. All the women of the family get together at our home and we make traditional Christmas goodies like rose cookies and plum cake. Guests come home and we all decorate the house together. The homemade snacks are then distributed to all our neighbours as well as orphanages. We also attend the Midnight-mass, and have an enormous feast.
-Nirmala Biluka, artist
