SR December-15 issue pdf

COVER STORY ||||| CELEBRATIONS
shoppers bustle about for last-minute
gifts, and decorations like Christmas
trees, shiny tinsel streamers, starshaped
lanterns and glittering baubles
of all shapes and sizes that will adorn
their homes.
By mid-December, most Christian
households will already be in the middle
of preparing for Christmas. In fact, in
accordance with the tradition of Advent,
Christian families begin preparing and
remembering the real meaning of the
season a whole four Sundays before
Christmas. Many households prepare
Christmas sweets such as marzipan,
milk cream, kulkuls, date rolls and plum
puddings that will be shared with
others. Decorating the Christmas tree
and lighting the star is another
important pre-Christmas activity that
brings families together. Many even
spend this time lending a hand and an
ear at old-age homes. After all,
Christmas is a season that not only
promotes a sense of togetherness but
also encourages the act of giving.
In most Indian cities, Christmas
markets, charity events, choral
recitations and plays form a large part of
the period leading up to December 25.
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Christmas pie
Before schools in India shut for the
holidays, children look forward to the
annual Christmas party that sees them
participate in skits, indulge in snacks
and await the arrival of Santa Claus. Of
late, the office Christmas party is yet
another manner in which people
celebrate the season of giving. Offices
are decorated with streamers,
mistletoes, baubles and holly wreaths
days before the actual holiday. Secret
Santa, a popular holiday tradition in the
US and the UK, has now become a
mainstay in offices across India. After
drawing a colleague’s name from a box
of chits, each employee becomes a
‘secret’ Santa to another. As offices and
schools shut for a few days and the
weather takes a cool turn in most parts
of India, it’s the prospect of a white
winter that lures many Indians to take a
short holiday to the northern parts of
the country. With so much joy and
goodness in the air, it’s hard to ignore
the spirit of the season.
MERRY-MAKING IN MUMBAI
Streets across Mumbai come alive with
strings of fairy lights, stars and paper
decorations in the first two weeks of
December. Although celebrations are
concentrated in a number of pockets
across the city, from Borivali, Malad
and Bandra, right up to Khotachiwadi
in South Mumbai, you’ll experience
the festive mood everywhere you go.
For example, on Hill Road, in Bandra,
DELPHINE WILSON
SENIOR CABIN CREW, BENGALURU
The carol ‘Tis the season to be jolly’
comes to my mind when I think of
Christmas. We have always celebrated
Christmas at home and I have some
wonderful memories associated with
it. I have been with SpiceJet for three
years and I always enjoy how it is
celebrated here – with X’mas hats
being worn, brownies being
distributed, and in various other ways
to ensure our passengers are happy.
DICHAMLIU MK
CABIN CREW, BENGALURU
What I love most about Christmas is
the general good spirit pervading
everywhere. I love going to the
midnight Mass and dancing till the
next day. I have been here only six
months but I am aware that at
SpiceJet, we celebrate all major
festivals onboard and Christmas is no
exception. I look forward to
celebrating my first Christmas with our
passengers.
54 ||||| DECEMBER 2016