Buzz
Christmas brings people together, and its celebrations vary across the globe. In India, Christmas falls on December 25th, marked as a national holiday and embraced by millions. Indian households adorn with festive decor, bake traditional treats, and partake in joyful gatherings and ceremonies. For those seeking a memorable Christmas in India, abundant opportunities await.
Guidelines
Adorning Your Surroundings
Embellish a Banana or Mango Tree in Festive Spirit. In India, Christmas decorations extend beyond conventional trees. Utilizing local foliage like banana or mango trees is customary. Additionally, some opt for faux pine trees adorned with ornaments and faux snow.
Adorn your home with banana and mango leaves. Create a festive atmosphere indoors by hanging banana and mango leaves, known as 'Toran'. Not only do these leaves add visual appeal, but they also emit a delightful fragrance.
- Traditionally, Torans consist of marigolds and mango leaves strung together and hung on doorways. For a personal touch, craft your own Toran using mango tree leaves and marigolds, as commonly seen in various festivals.
Illuminate with paper lanterns, electric lamps, or oil-burning lamps. Enhance your home's ambience with paper lanterns and lamps both indoors and outdoors. Churches also embrace the festive spirit by adorning tables and windowsills with lamps. Local stores offer a variety of designs to suit your preference, including star or sphere-shaped lanterns with festive prints.
- In Southern India, clay oil-burning lamps adorn the rooftops, creating a mesmerizing sight by the end of December.
- Along the western coastline of Goa, star-shaped paper lanterns are hung between houses, transforming the streets into a celestial pathway.
Construct a Christmas crib or nativity scene. Known as “Christmas cribs” in India, these scenes are a cherished tradition. Communities often engage in friendly competitions to showcase elaborate displays. Start planning your nativity scene early to fully immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit.
- Get creative by incorporating materials like sand, rocks, bricks, and plants. Remember to wait until Christmas Eve to place the baby Jesus statue in the scene.
Enjoying Festivities with Loved Ones
- While shopping, indulge in purchasing homemade sweets or small trinkets for Christmas exchanges.
- Opt for attire that reflects your comfort and style, whether it's Western wear or traditional Indian garments like kurtas and saris.
- Add a touch of festive flair with jewelry and makeup of your choice.
- Accessorize with locally available Santa caps or reindeer-shaped headbands for a whimsical touch.
Purchase or bake a traditional Kerala plum cake or Christmas fruit cake. Kerala plum cake holds a special place in Indian holiday traditions. Visit the local market to indulge in this seasonal delight, or embark on a baking adventure at home.
- The fruit cake recipe typically includes chopped cashews, black raisins, and an assortment of dried fruits such as dates, cherries, and orange peels.
- Consider preparing Payasam (kheer), a nutritious dish made with boiled rice or dal, coconut milk, and sweetened with jaggery or sugar. Enhance its flavor with raisins, cashew nuts, and cardamom.
Explore local bakeries for traditional holiday confections. Holiday sweet recipes vary across India, with some influenced by international cuisines like the rose cookie. Traveling during Christmas offers an opportunity to sample regional delights from bakeries along the way.
- Popular Christmas treats include banana chips, neureos (fried pastries filled with dried fruit and coconut), dodol (coconut and cashew toffee), and kidiyo (sugar-coated deep-fried dough balls), often exchanged as gifts among friends and neighbors.
Indulge in a traditional Christmas feast. Embrace the diverse culinary heritage of India with a classic Christmas dinner featuring spicy pork and chicken curries, steamed rice cakes, and assorted sweet breads.
- Begin your day with appam and chicken curry for breakfast or lunch. Appam, a rice and coconut-based bread, adds a unique touch to the meal.
- Other festive dinner options include coconut rice, stir-fried vegetables, mutton curry, and aloo kurma (potato curry), catering to both meat lovers and vegetarians.
Anticipate Father Christmas's arrival on a horse-drawn carriage. Known by various names across India, Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, maintains the tradition of distributing gifts to children on Christmas Eve. Witness the enchanting sight of Father Christmas arriving on a horse-drawn carriage, and contribute to the festive spirit with a donation.
Engaging in Local Celebrations
Explore a Christmas-celebrating state in India. Although Christmas isn't the dominant holiday nationwide, certain states embrace its festivities. To immerse yourself fully, venture into states known for their vibrant Christmas celebrations.
- Popular destinations include Goa on the west coast, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland in the northwest, and Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the south.
Join a special midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Churches across India offer a sense of community during Christmas, hosting services that honor the holiday's religious significance. Attendees can partake in candlelight ceremonies and prayers.
- The Mount Mary Church in Bandra, Mumbai, hosts a renowned midnight mass on Christmas Eve, drawing hundreds of attendees annually. The beautifully lit churches and decorated streets enhance the festive ambiance.
Experience a Christmas beach festival in Goa. Goa's beaches attract tourists during the holiday season with lively Christmas festivals featuring music, dance, and local cuisine. For a memorable Christmas by the sea, head to one of Goa's picturesque beaches.
- Anjuna, Mapusa, and Candolim are popular beach destinations during the Christmas season.
- Immerse yourself in Goa's vibrant nightlife, where illuminated churches and homes create a festive atmosphere, accompanied by late-night caroling.
- Other notable Christmas festivals occur in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Chennai.
Embark on a scenic toy train journey from Kalka to Shimla. Celebrating Christmas with children? Don't miss the enchanting toy train ride to Shimla, renowned for its breathtaking views of snow-capped mountains and historic landmarks.
- Book tickets in advance for the toy train journey, available for reservation three months in advance. Fares vary depending on the chosen train ride.
- Toy train rides typically last five to six hours, so plan accordingly to accommodate your schedule.
Engage in year-end festivities in Kochi, a bustling port city. Kochi hosts a plethora of festivals and carnivals during the last week of December, showcasing local art, games, and sports.
- Experience the Kochi-Muziris Biennale festival featuring talented artists and performers.
- Witness traditional dancing, decorated elephants, and sporting events at the Cochin Carnival.
- Attend the Indira Gandhi Boat Race for an exhilarating boating spectacle in the city's historic ports.
Enjoy local caroling festivities. Experience the joy of Christmas by listening to local carolers, a tradition observed in many states leading up to Christmas Day. Joining the choir or singing at church units and homes can further enrich your holiday experience.
- Explore the festive caroling scenes in Goa, western India, and Bandra, Mumbai, where the celebrations extend late into the night.
Useful Tips
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Extend warm Christmas greetings to family and friends with a handshake or hug, according to your preference.
