![]() ![]() Another happy memory is the carols - we would begin the rounds around 7:00 p.m. And, everybody we knew would get at least one cake - so, imagine how many cakes we would have baked. Then, a few days before Christmas, we would bake - yes, 'we' - I mean all of us would be a part of this process - beating the flour, pouring it in tins and cups, placing them in the oven, and then checking on them every now and then to see if they were done. We would mix the rum, raisins, dried fruits, and spices, and leave them to ferment a couple of months before Christmas. It was truly a family affair - we experienced a feeling of togetherness. ![]() We imagined there were little elves that dwelt on the tree and were in charge of the lights - it was all crazy, but fun! This was followed by gifts and parties.Īnd, the most important thing about Christmas was the baking of cakes. how my siblings and I would lie down under the tree every night after dinner and family prayers, look into it from underneath the tree and build stories about the small world inside the tree. How parents put up the huge (six-and-a-half foot!) tree overnight, decorated it, and woke up to surprise us when we walked in sleepy-eyed. memories of Christmas! It all began a couple of weeks before Christmas. Susan Philip, freelance editor, Chennai A feeling of togetherness And then, the novelty of being woken up before dawn and bundled into a sweater, scarf, and socks to go to church for the beautiful special service which infused even us kids with a feeling of comfort and joy." I couldn't quite decide then whether it was real or not! There was also Flurys, the famous bakery where you got the most amazing pastries. I can still see in my mind's eye the huge cut-out of a sleigh pulled by reindeer, carrying a plump, red-suited Santa complete with a bulging sack of gifts that seemed to hover over the street one year. My parents would take me to see the sights, and I remember being bedazzled by the flickering fairy lights, the strings of stars of many colors and sizes, and the glittering 'snow'-laden Christmas trees festooned with tinsel and shiny baubles in all the shop windows. Some of my earliest impressions of Christmas include the decorations on the iconic Park Street there. "When I was a little girl, we lived in Calcutta, now Kolkata. Anitha Bennett, freelance author, and educational consultant, Chennai Was Santa real? And, how can I forget the idlis and mutton curry - our staple Christmas breakfast and the sumptuous biryani that followed for lunch." ![]() That was the spirit of Christmas - 'giving'. I would never return with an empty plate. You see, everyone to whom we distributed the eats would give us something in return. I can never forget how I would go clad in the silk skirt that Mom would herself stitch for me, with a plate loaded with snacks and come back with something on the plate. the distribution of the goodies to neighbors. the traditional sweets and savories (ribbon pakoda, diamond-shaped crispies, and athirasams) that Amma made. Of course, I still remember the colorful twirling tinsel that we used to decorate the house with. Going and fetching the branches from the foothills of Yercaud brought us the greatest joy. "In those days, our Christmas tree was the good old casuarina branch. With these memories of mine, I set out to gather special childhood memories of friends, colleagues, and relatives. Ultimately, the joy of Christmas pervades everything we do. For, the true spirit of Christmas is sharing and giving. We used to host them for lunch, spend time with them and give them cakes and gifts. Our mom used to work in a government school where most children from less privileged backgrounds attended.Įver since I can remember until the year Mom retired (for more than 30 years), her students (numbering anywhere between 20 and 40) were our special guests. This is a lesson that our parents taught us quite early in life. Amidst all this flurry of Christmas activities what stood out was the happiness we got by sharing what we had with others. Add to this list Sunday school plays and tableaux, visiting relatives, friends, and neighbors to distribute cakes, entertaining guests at home, giving gifts to children. Christmas has always been very special to me - what with carols, Mom baking cakes and stocking up on goodies, Dad decorating our home with the Christmas tree and tinsel when we were young, and the early morning church service. ![]()
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