Christmas

Christmas season around here has caught us also in its frenzy.It is the same feeling as we get while walking through the markets in Deepavali or Dasara looking for the things we need for the festivities.

I grew up studying in the Christ the King Convent . Best years of my life they were where we did celebrate Christmas decorating the Tree with loads of chocolates only to pluck them on 23rd . Sang songs in praise of the Lord, never thought twice about whom we were singing about and why. When my girls say we want to grow up fast I say what my parents said... Childhood is the best, but they nevertheless want to grow up fast as I did ....


I had decided that this year my girls will know about Santa but they seem to be so excited about Santa's coming this year I could not say anything... so my hunt for presents to act as Santa has begun.Today being the last day of their school . I did manage packing them and hiding them till Santa comes through the window in our house as we don't have a chimney.It is easier for them to gel in with the peers here if they also believe in what the whole class does. It is not easy on us to keep reminding them that we don't worship Jesus and we do have a God , and keep telling stories, but it isn't really easy on them and we don't intend to impose anything on them till they do understand the complexities of life themselves... hardly an age to worry about existence of god and which religion to practice.I just do it for the wonderful smile they have on seeing the presents and the excitement of opening it. The happiness is contagious.

From November onwards, it is impossible to forget that Christmas is coming. Coloured lights decorate many town centres and shops, along with shiny decorations, and artificial snow painted on shop windows. In the newspaper I read a nice letter to the editor saying that it is too much commercial now a days that people have started thinking of Christmas from August... so there might be a time when people finish all shopping by October and think... oh Gosh!!! Christmas is late this year.

Father Christmas is based on a real person, St. Nicholas, which explains his other name 'Santa Claus' which comes from the Dutch 'Sinterklaas'. Nicholas was a Christian leader from Myra (in modern-day Turkey) in the 4th century AD. He was very shy, and wanted to give money to poor people without them knowing about it. It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It landed in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire! This may explain the belief that Father Christmas comes down the chimney and places gifts in children's stockings. I did not know that Father Christmas actually wore green clothes (various colours says wikipedia) till the COCA COLA company decided to change the dress to RED to endorse their product.. Green meant prosperity but now hardly anybody knows about the Green Santa outfit.



In Romania,( may be in other few countries too, I know about Romania) people still Celebrate 6th December as St. Nicholas day where in the kids clean their shoes and place it near the door for the saint to leave them some presents. It was fun teaching them how to clean their shoe and their excitement of St.Nick coming in the night when all the doors are locked.

Well, thats it from me today... have a great weekend ahead and good Christmas.... will catch up soon.