Festival: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Pure love!

Happy Birthday Jesus Christ!

December 25 is celebrated as the birthday of Jesus Christ, the son of God. He had walked on this earth more than 21 centuries ago.

When I was a kid, I went to study in a convent and that was the time I got associated with Christianity, praying at a church and celebrating Christmas.

Reading a number of English novels had given me some knowledge about St. Nicholas or Santa Claus and his rein-deer. It fascinated my childish imagination, reading about Christmas in the snow, the big fat Santa distributing gifts by driving down everyone’s chimney and people eating yummy turkey and pudding for Christmas.

I am a Tam-bram and hail from Chennai. Vegetarianism has been ingrained in me since birth. While I would never come in the way of someone eating seafood or chicken, I will never want to eat them myself.       

But, in my childhood, when I used to read about delicious meat cooking, I used to almost smell (without the clue as to the real smell of such foods) it and used to drool quite some too. I used to feel quite sad that my religion would never allow me to taste it. It never even struck my innocent mind that I could choose not to follow the dictates of my religion.

But all that was eons ago. I have still not tasted the Christmas delicacies nor intend to – at least in this life. But reading about it and hearing of people talk about it, has always been a wonderful experience.

Christmas tree

My favourite Christmas song in my school days used to be Jingle Bells. My father's cousin Rani who lived with us during those days, taught Suja and me the song.

Dashing through the snow

In a one horse open sleigh

O'er the fields we go

Laughing all the way

Bells on bob tails ring

Making spirits bright

What fun it is to laugh and sing

A sleighing song tonight

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Santa Claus & rein-deer

Oh, what fun it is to ride     

In a one horse open sleigh

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way

Oh, what fun it is to ride

In a one horse open sleigh

I am determined to see at least one White Christmas in my lifetime and I am quite confident that Jesus Christ is going to grant me this one wish.

In the meanwhile, Merry Christmas to one and all!