The Season Of Auld Lang Syne in India

Christmas is undoubtedly the most highly celebrated festival in the western countries. It is the most awaited and the only festival which people start preparing for and look forward to, months before the day actually arrives. Celebrated by Christians all over the world, Christmas day is regarded as the day Lord Jesus Christ was born to this world. It is an auspicious and a holy day at the same time a joyous celebration.

India is a country with the most diverse mix of cultures, traditions and even religion. With a mass majority of almost 80 per cent of the total population being Hindus, Christmas celebrations in India are confined mainly in the Christian dominant states. Constituting of only 2.3 per cent of the entire population of India, Christianity is a minority in India. Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya are the only 3 Christian states in India with more than 90 per cent of Christian populations. Hindus and Muslims are minorities there and mostly consist of people from other parts of India who are settled there mostly for professional job purpose. Although a minority in other states, Christianity is also found in large numbers in Mumbai, Goa and Kerala. Christmas celebrations in India, mostly in the three Christian states are celebrated in full colours. It is the most anticipated festival of the year where all the members of the family, working or studying far and wide all come back home to celebrate it with their family. Each street and buildings are decorated with light and according to the law of the government, each business stall or shop, however small, should decorate their shops with lights or at the least, hang up a Christmas star over their shop. The whole town is packed with people going around for Christmas shopping and the shopping complexes have huge decorated Christmas trees at the entrance with Christmas songs playing on the background. The Christmas Carol starts by early December where small kids in groups come knocking to your door and sing you two or three Christmas hymns and there are celebrations and parties in every household. The Christmas spirit starts kicking in by early December or even late November and lasts until the late part of January. The advent of Christmas is normally met with a midnight vigil mass (service) in the church where celebrations begin or just a big gathering of family or friends in a bonfire sharing good food and drinks until the clock strikes 12. The following day is met with a church service which follows by a grand feast with all the church members where the adults get to sit and talk while the kids are involved in games, music and sports. Nagaland, known as the land of festivals, consists of various tribes and each tribe celebrates their own festival once a year making the calendar full of festivals, but Christmas is one festival which brings all the tribes together celebrations are done together as one. Nagaland is the best place to experience the true western spirit of ‘Christmas spirit’. The state kicks off the season with the popular ‘hornbill festival’ which starts on 1st December and goes on for a week. This festival is the highest tourist attraction of Nagaland.

Food can be a major emotional trigger. One bite or taste of something could take us way back to when we were wee small or take you to the place or country you have been. Christmas is the time where you get to make and eat the best food and the food during this time are nothing short of grand which takes time and effort for prepping and cooking. There are many classic Christmas dishes around the world, however, some few standouts and must haves can be as simple and as complex as a cake, roasted turkey, wide range of pies, whole roasted fish or a small pig, prime ribs, eggnog etc. A taste of this makes us feel Christmas-y and the celebrations begin!

About the Author

Pratima Sharma is a professional travel writer. Holidays, tourist destinations, festivals, culture, and food are all that interest her. She is all about travel, visiting different destinations and exploring and relishing the best that a destination has to offer. She covers a wide range of topics including, best places to visit in winter, top honeymoon destinations, Christmas celebration in India, how spend a memorable independence day, best foods across India,

Pratima is a travel writer and loves to visit different places India. She is an avid traveler herself, and whenever she has the opportunity she flews to the destinations that she has listed in her travel log.