Merry Christmas

The Indian festivals are celebrated with utmost brightness and Christmas is no exception. During Christmas in India, most of the Churches are found decorated with poinsettias and lit with candles for the Christmas Eve service.

Many Christians mark Christmas Day by attending special church mass, spending time with family, friends and relatives, wearing new clothes and eating special festive meal. People exchange gifts and give presents, sweets etc. to children. Christmas stars (with lamp) can be seen hanging out of every house. Along with Christmas tree, children, on the Christmas vacation put handmade scenes of birth of Jesus Christ with clay figures, sand and bricks with a Christmas tree. Christmas trees in India are usually artificial trees, pine trees or branches of native trees or bushes. There is also no snow in India except some parts of North. But, this does not deter the spirit of Christmas as children put cotton balls all over the tree to give a look of snow. Big stores and malls put up Christmas decorations and have actors playing Santa.

It is an interesting fact to note that the celebration of Christmas in India is held in a different manner in the various parts of the country. The way Christmas is celebrated in the North East is completely different from the way Christmas is celebrated in the South West. Generally the Christians who live in the plains decorate mango or banana trees at Christmas time. Some of them also decorate their houses with mango leaves. However in some of the other parts of India, a lot of people use small clay oil-burning lamps as Christmas decorations. These small clay lamps are placed on the edges of flat roofs and on the tops of walls.

One of the most famous locations for celebration of Christmas in India is Goa. In fact not only people from different parts of India, but also people from all over the world throng to this seductive abode to be a part of exotic fiesta. If you happen to visit Goa during Christmas, then the mood for the fiesta will be altogether different. You can expect expensive Christmas trees will be decorated with stars and tinsels, toys, plastic fruits. In fact, the best time to explore any place in India during the festivals is the evenings. This is because all bulbs illuminates the dawn making it look more beautiful.
Interestingly, Hindus and Muslim population majorly occupy India, and yet, Christmas is celebrated with a large amount of fanfare.

As Christmas is a gazetted holiday; National, state and local government offices, schools and colleges, post offices and banks remain closed on Christmas Day. Confectioners and bakers are the busiest people of the month, fulfilling the demands of people.