Shopping, Festive Gatherings & Carols Herald Christmas
From baking plum cakes, to collecting gifts for children’s white-laced red stockings, decorating house with tiny twinkling Christmas accessories, households in the city are enthusiastically gearing up to make elaborate preparations to usher in spirit of joy this Christmas.
Previously Christmas meant enjoying cakes, cookies, and chocolates, dressing up for an evening outing and having a photo clicked with Santa Claus. Today, the visiting NRGs and returning expatriates have altered the celebration scene and added new ways to celebrate Christmas.
Now Christmas is becoming a 10-day celebration packed with theme parties, complete with decorations, food and yuletide spirit — the infiltrating flavours of a global festival. So that her expatriate relatives’ kids from Australia do not miss the vibrant festival celebrations in their home town, Nikita Aggarwal is hosting a party at her house.
“The theme of the Christmas party is red and white. I have also prepared surprise gifts that Santa would give out to children,” she said. Priyanka Thakkar, home maker, who has hosted a Christmas carnival for her eight-yearold daughter and her 40-odd friends, said, “I have ordered home decors of ginger bread man with its small hut and a snow man cake to add to the festival atmosphere and generate authentic Christmas feel. Last year my daughter celebrated Christmas in Chicago with her cousins. This time her cousins from Chicago are here in the city. She doesn’t want them to miss the fun they had last time. Hence we have tried our best to recreate the Christmas festival atmosphere at our place.”
From a star-studded dance floor to DJ playing Christmas carols, from star-shaped cheese sandwiches to red and white strawberry and cream muffins – every small detail is carefully crafted at these Christmas carnivals. These demands keep party planners on their toes. “Previously Christmas celebrations happened only at big malls, clubs, hotels and departmental stores, however, now bookings for private Christmas parties having sizable budgets are on rise in city. From stand alone Santas, reindeers and trees to full sets of Santa and sleigh are in demand,” said Urvi Bhatt from Party Vibe.
Cheer gifted to senior citizens
Jivan Sandhya, an old-age home having more than 200 members celebrated Christmas with about 150 students of Mirambika School on Friday. Farsu Kakkad, in-charge of the old-age home said, “The elder members residing at the home enjoyed decorating Christmas trees with young children from school. The students too loved spending time with the elderly and enjoyed various delicacies like cake and chocolates with the inmates. The motto was to reduce the generation gap between the two generations.” TNN
Presents must: Ahmedabad kids
Ahmedabad: Yesha Patel, six, awaits Christmas gifts. She has asked her mom to tie the red stocking hanging on her bed side for next ten days and plans to keep checking it for a surprise. Like Patel, the number of kids submitting to the festival’s fervour and craze of getting surprise gifts has increased.
While Jaisheel Shah, seven, awaits a caricatured watch, Dhyan Contractor wants toy crayons and imported toffees. “My Christmas wish list has nail colours, nail diamonds, hair accessories, glitters, stickers, dolls and chocolates,” said Angana Shah, eight. Isha Thakkar, ten, too has an extended wish list. “I want disco lights, wall decors, a big carnival and mini Santa-muffins.” TNN
